
THE MONUMENT 



THE 

PROVINCETOWN 

BOOK 

by 
NANCY W. PAINE SMITH 




Set up and printed by 

TOLMAN PRINT, Inc. 

Brockton, Mass. 



P?&6 (d 



Copyright 1922 by 
Nancy W. Paine Smith 



JUN -3 IS22 

©CI.A(>61975 



CONTENTS 

Page 

Here Comes the Crier 9 

The Heavenly Town 11 

Over ti^e Road to Provincetown ... 15 

Who First Found the Place .... 16 

Our Names 18 

Just a Little about the Pilgrims ... 22 

The Compact 23 

The Settlers 29 

The Settlement on Long Point . . . 35 
How the Streets Were Laid Out and the 

Town Built 40 

Salt-making 50 

Cod-fishing 53 

On the Grand Banks 56 

Mackerel-catching 66 

Whaling 68 

Fresh-fishing 78 

Allied Industries 83 

The Coast Guard 92 

The Portuguese 97 

A Bit of Geography 99 

Provincetown Weather 112 

The Churches 118 

The Benevolences 134 



8 THE PROVINCFTOWN BOOK 

The Schools 137 

The Art Colony 145 

The Monument and the Hill .... 148 

A Hint at the Natural History of the Shore 153 

The Flowers 170 

The Birds 178 

Records from the Old Cemetery . . . 189 

Teachers in the High School . . . 221 

Roster of the Provincetown Seminary 1845-6 224 

List of the Whalers Since 1820 . . . 229 

List of Dates 245 

List of Books 252 

Seeing Provincetown and Some Interesting 

Things to See 255 




T 



Here Comes the Crier 

HIS is the way the town crier cries the town. 
He walks from one end of the sidewalk to the 
other ringing his bell as he goes, three strokes 



up and down. 

Ding-dong Ding-dong Ding-dong. 



10 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

Then in a loud voice, "Notice — To be sold at 
public auction, this afternoon at two o'clock, at J. & 
L. N. Paine's wharf, three-sixteenths of the schooner 
Granada, with cables and anchors and all fittings." 

If the weather is too bad for the steamer to make 
her trip on schedule, he cries this: 

(Ding-dong Ding-dong Ding-dong.) 

"Notice — The Steamer George Shattuck will leave 
for Boston to-morrow morning at nine o'clock — wea- 
ther permitting." 

On the afternoon of a show, he cries this: 

(Ding-dong Ding-dong Ding-dong.) 

"Notice — Fairbanks Lodge of Good Templars 
will give a dramatic exhibition in Masonic Hall, this 
evening at seven o'clock, presenting the four-act drama, 
'Down by the Sea' and concluding with the laughable 
farce, 'Done on Both Sides.' Admission 25 cents." 

When we hear the crier's bell, we all go to the door 
to listen, and thus the event is advertised in everybody's 
ears at the cost of one dollar. 

Could there be a collection of all the notices of 
sales and sailings, of storms and shows, cried by the 
crier for two hundred years, we should have a history 
of the town. Let me be the town crier, and from 
memory and tradition, from the records, and from a 
deep love for my home, cry the town to you. 



The Heavenly Town 

hy Alma Martin 

A heavenly town is Provincetown. 

Its streets go winding up and down, 

Way-down-along, way-up-along. 

With laughter, mirthful jest and song. 

Dark Portuguese 

From far-off seas 

Their ships in bay 

Pass time of day 

With friends who wander up and down 

The pleasant streets of Provincetown. 

"Hello!" the friendly children call 

To high and low, to great and small. 

Bright blossoms gaily nod their heads. 

Strong zinnias, yellow, purples, reds, 

Gay marigolds and hollyhocks 

Whose hues are matched by artists' smocks. 

Dark laughing boys. 

Dark smiling girls. 

With here and there a native son. 

With blue eyes full of Yankee fun. 

Go up and down the village street; 

Gay words for every one they meet, 

And fill the summer air with song, 

Way-up-along, way-down-along. 



12 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

The air is crisp with briny smells, 
The time is told by chime of bells, 
The painters sketch each little nook, 
In colors like a children's book. 
Yellow shutters, windows pink, 
Purple shingles, trees of ink. 
Front street, Back street. 
Narrow winding lanes. 
Many colored fishing boats, 
Sails and nets and seines. 
East end. West end. 
High sandy dunes. 
Wonderful by moonlight 
Or in shining noons. 

Oh, a heavenly town is Provincetown 
Whose streets go winding up and down. 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 13 



I heard or seemed to hear the chiding sea 
Say, Pilgrim, why so late and slow to come? 
Am I not always here, thy summer home? 
Is not my voice thy music morn and eve? 
My breath thy healthful climate in the heats? 
My touch thy antidote, my bay thy bath? 

— Emerson 



oj:£AM 



Many a man 
who naJ sailed 
all over the world 
never went to 
Soston that 




Over the Road to Provincetown 

Go SOUTH down the Old Colony 
by the Weymouths and Kingston to Plymouth, 
through the Plymouth woods, 
past the old shop where the Sandwich glass was made, 
across the Canal, 

to old "High Barnstable", the county town, 
along those pleasant streets which Joe Lincoln loves 
Where every man but one is "Capt'n, and he is fust 

mate" 
to the west of Highland Light, 
(you are now going north) 
into the stretch of road 
with the dunes on one side and 
the bay on the other 
" Way-up-along-the-shore, 
to Provincetown. 




Who First Found the Place 

MORE than nine hundred years ago Thorwald, 
brother of Lief Erickson, came up the Back- 
side toward the Harbor. Old Norse records 
tell how, as he made the end of the Point, he ran ashore 
and was compelled to haul his ship out for repairs. He 
called the land a goodly land, and sailed away to the 
northwest, to a bay full of islands (probably Boston 
Harbor). There he was hit by a poisoned arrow. 
When he knew that he must die, he directed his men 
to carry him back to the place where they repaired the 
ship, and there bury him. This they did. It may be 
that Thorwald's sepulchre is the stone structure under 
a house on Chip Hill. Many years ago this hill was 
lowered twenty or thirty feet for salt-works. When in 
1853, Mr. Francis A. Paine built his house there, work- 
men, digging the cellar, came upon a wall of red stones. 
The wall was laid in mortar containing fragments of fish 
bones; the stones were blackened as if by smoke. In 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 17 

making repairs to the house in 1895, the wall was again 
uncovered. There are no stones on the end of Cape 
Cod, except those brought here as ballast in ships. 
One glance at a model of those old Norse ships, high 
out of water, is enough to prove that Thorwald's ship, in 
order to cross the Atlantic Ocean, must have been well 
ballasted. This stone wall has been called The Indian's 
Camp, The Norsemen's Fireplace, The Norsemen's Fort. 
But Indians never made stone-work; wild Norsemen 
built their fires in the open; the Norseman's best fort 
was his ship afloat or ashore. May it not be that 
Thorwald's men made his grave on this hill a little 
removed from the shore, in the goodly land where he 
wished to be buried.'' 

Max Bohm has on exhibition at the Art Associa- 
tion, a canvas of the Norse explorers on this coast. 
The title of the picture reads: "Eric, the Red, being in 
fine spirits, discovers the Land of the Free, and, having 
a cruel wit, dubs it Vinland (Wineland)." 



Our Names 

MANY early explorers made our harbor, and 
each gave it a name to please himself. Maps 
of the first French and Italian navigators 
mark the land The Sandy Cape. One called it Keel 
Cape; one called it Cape of the Cross. Captain John 
Smith called it Cape James. Champlain called it Cape 
Blanc. In 1602 Bartholomew Gosnold christened it 
Cape Cod. 

Gosnold is said to have named Cape Cod from the 
first fish he caught in the harbor. Benjamin Drew put 
this story into rhyme, and read it in response to a toast 
at the first anniversary dinner of the Cape Cod Asso- 
ciation, Nov. 11, 1851. 

There sailed an ancient mariner, 

Bart Gosnold was he hight — 
The Cape was all a wilderness 

When Gosnold hove in sight. 

The hills were bold and fair to view, 

And covered o'er with trees. 
Said Gosnold: "Bring a fishing line. 

While lulls the evening breeze. 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 19 

"I'll christen that there sandy shore 
From the first fish I take — 
Tautog or toad-fish, cusk or cod, 
Horse-mackerel or hake. 

"Hard-head or haddock, sculpin, squid, 
Goose-fish, pipe-fish or cunner, 
No matter what, shall with its name 
Yon promontory honor, " 

Old Neptune heard the promise made — 

Down dove the water-god. 
He drove the meaner fish away 

And hooked the mammoth cod. 

Quick Gosnold hauled, "Cape — Cape — Cape Cod!" 
"Cape Cod!" the crew cried louder. 
"Here steward take the fish away, 
And give the boys a chowder." 

The name Cape Cod now applies to the whole of 
Barnstable County, but in all early records and docu- 
ments and in common usage until recent years, Cape 
Cod was used for Provincetown alone. 

We are Cape Cod, we are also Province Land. 
Since a government has existed in Massachusetts, we 
have been the Province's land, the property first of 
Plymouth Colony, later of the Commonwealth. The 
State has repeatedly recorded its ownership, and has 
often leased and taxed the fisheries. It still appoints 
and pays a commissioner to care for the land. No one 



20 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

may cut a tree or pick a cranberry without a permit. 
Not until 1893 was it possible to give a deed of land, 
except a quit-claim deed. At that time the Common- 
wealth set up granite bound-stones, ceding to the people 
the land on which the town is built, but reserving to 
itself most of the territory. These bounds can be 
followed along the hills just back of the town. 

The Trustees of Public Reservations, State of 
Massachusetts 1892, made the following report on the 
State's title to the land. "The Colony of New Ply- 
mouth was granted all the coast from Cohassett to 
Narraganzett, by royal patent, dated January 29, 
1629-30. The Colony in turn granted parts of its 
domain to sub-colonies, or plantations, but never so 
granted the extreme of Cape Cod. On the contrary, 
the Governor, under orders of the General Court, 1650, 
purchased the tip end of Cape Cod from an Indian 
named Samson, 'for the said Colony's use.' There was 
included in the purchase all the shore of Cape Cod 
Harbor from Long Point, easterly till It came to a little 
pond next to the Eastern Harbor, thence northerly 
to the back sea." 

We were once a part of the Constablrick of East- 
ham. 

In order that the State Land and the people on 
it, many of them transients, might be under the imme- 
diate eye of the law, we were made, in 1714, A Precinct 
of the Town of Truro. This plan was not satisfactory, 
and the next year a petition of the inhabitants of 
Truro was presented to the General Court by Constant 
Freeman, the representative, "praying that Cape Cod 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 21 

be declared a part of Truro or not a part of Truro, that 
the town may know how to act in regard to some 
persons." 

In 1727, we were incorporated by an act of legisla- 
ture as a township by the name of Provincetown, though 
in this act the State reaffirms its right to the land. 

At that time, we narrowly escaped being named 
Herrington. The original act shows the word Herring- 
ton crossed out and Provincetown written in. The 
stretch of water between Wood End and Race Point is 
still called Herring Cove. 

We are Provincetown in Barnstable County. 
Sitting in the South Station in Boston, in the "Barn- 
stable Pew" a stranger said to me: "Is it possible there 
is a place in the world with such a name as 'Barn- 
Stable'.^" They who should know, say that the English 
town for which we are named was in the early days 
Barnstaple, "Big Barns." 



Just a Little About the 
Pilgrims 

'"''They -planned wisely and they builded zvell.^^ 

IN THESE tercentenary days, the story of the 
Pilgrims has been told too often to be repeated 
here. But we never forget that the May/lower 
passengers were Non-conformists. "Forms and cere- 
monies are inventions of men, sinful to observe, not 
authorized by Scripture." So they said. They were 
Separatists, for they had renounced the established 
church of England. They were Independents and 
Congregationalists, each parish electing its own 
officers, and each parish independent of every other 
and of all authority but itself. Their opponents, in 
derision, called them Puritans as being too pure to live 
on this planet. They were prisoners in England, for 
conscience' sake. They were exiles in Holland, "harried 
out of the land." They were Pilgrims on their way to 
a new world and a new era. They were the minority; 
the greater part were left behind with John Robinson 
in Holland. They were the signers of the Compact 
drawn up in the cabin of the Mayflower, in Province- 
town Harbor, November 11, 1620, O. S. 



The Compact 



IN THE name of God, Amen. 
We, whose names are underwritten, the loyal 
subjects of our dread sovereign. Lord King James, 
by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France and 
Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith etc., having 
undertaken for the glory of God, and advancement of 
the Christian faith and the honor of our King and 
Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the 
northern part of Virginia, do by these presents, solemnly 
and mutually, in the presence of God, and one another, 
covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil 
body politic, for the better ordering and preservation 
and furtherance of the ends aforesaid: and by virtue 
hereof do enact, constitute and frame such just and 
equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions, and offices 
from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and 
convenient for the general good of the Colony; unto 
which we promise all due submission and obedience. 
In witness whereof we have hereunto subscribed our 
names at Cape Cod, the 11th of November, in the year 
of the reign of our sovereign Lord King James of 
England, France and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of 
Scotland, the fifty-fourth. Anno Domini 1620. 



24 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 



SIGNERS OF THE COMPACT. 



John Carver 
William Bradford 

Edward Winslow 
William Brewster 
Isaac Allerton 
Miles Standish 
John Alden 
Samuel Fuller 
Christopher Martin 
William Mullins 
William White 
Richard Warren 
John Howland 
Stephen Hopkins 
Edward Tilly 
John Tilly 
Francis Cooke 
Thomas Rogers 
Thomas Tinker 
John Ridgdale 
Edward Fuller 



John Turner 
Francis Eaton 
James Chilton 
John Craxton 
John Billington 
Joses Fletcher 
John Goodman 
Digery Priest 
Thomas Williams 
Gilbert Winslow 
Edmond Margeson 
Peter Brown 
Richard Bitterage 
George Soule 
Richard Clark 
Richard Gardiner 
John Allerton 
Thomas English 
Edward Doten 
Edward Leister 



From these M ay flower passengers, and from their 
friends who came the next year in the Fortune, and from 
those who came a little later in the Ann, sprung the 
natives of Cape Cod. 

They were forced to make a landing by the weather 
and by the refusal of the captain of the ship to go 
further. They were outside any civil authority. They 
record that some of the strangers among them had let 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 25 

fall mutinous speeches,<thatwhen they came ashore they 
would use their own libertie. They drew up this com- 
pact saying that they would make their own laws and 
then they would obey them. That seems a simple 
thing to us, and doubtless to them it did not seem a 
great event. But Hon. Francis Baylies, in his History 
oj New Plymouth, says that this compact, adopted in the 
cabin of the Mayflower established a most important 
principle, which is the foundation of all democratic 
institutions and the basis of the Republic. 

Here in the "pleasant bay" at Provincetown, on 
November 11, 1620, began the experiment of self- 
government. Governor Bradford's History says, "Be- 
ing thus arrived in a good harbor, and brought safe to 
land, they fell upon their knees and blessed the God of 
Heaven who had brought them over the vast and 
furious ocean and delivered them from all the perils and 
miseries thereof, again to set their feet upon the firm 
and stable earth, their proper element." He adds that 
on Monday the women went on shore to wash, as they 
had great need. 

For five weeks they lay at anchor here, while they 
repaired the shallop and explored the coast. To iden- 
tify "the good harbor and pleasant bay circled round 
except in the entrance which is about four miles over 
from land to land," is easy. The changes made along 
the shore by wind and tide for three hundred years 
render it very difficult to locate the exact spots where 
the women made Monday the national wash-day, where 
they saw the Indians who ran away and "whistled their 
dogge after them," where dignified William Bradford 



26 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

was caught in a deer-trap. But the Research Club of 
Provincetown, after most careful examination of all 
records, has erected a tablet at the extreme west end of 
the town, at "The Terminal of the King's Highway 
that goeth unto Billingsgate." The inscription on the 
tablet reads: 



THE FIRST LANDING PLACE 
OF THE PILGRIMS 
NOV. 11, 1620 O. S. 
THE MAP IN MOURT'S RELATIONS SHOWS 
THAT NEAR THIS SPOT 
THE PILGRIMS 
FIRST TOUCHED FOOT ON AMERICAN SOIL 



ERECTED BY THE RESEARCH CLUB 
OF PROVINCETOWN 

1917 



"The Cape Cod Journal of the Pilgrim Fathers 
reprinted from Mourt's Relations" is a pamphlet costing 
twenty-five cents, done by Leon Sharman in 1920. 
The original "Relations" was made in 1622, by Brad- 
ford, Winslow, Morton and others, and has a title two 
hundred words long, "A Relation or Journall of the 
Beginning and Proceedings of the English Plantations 
settled in New England, etc., etc." 

The manuscript of Bradford's History was lost 
for many years, and was at last found in the library of 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 27 

the Bishop of London, by whom it was presented, 
through the efforts of Hon. George F. Hoar and of 
Ambassador Bayard, to the Commonwealth of Massa- 
chusetts. The Commonwealth sells copies of this most 
interesting book, at the State House in Boston, for 
31.00 

The Research Club has also erected a tablet in the 
Old Cemetery; 



IN MEMORY OF 

DOROTHY MAY BRADFORD (Drowned) 

JAMES CHILTON JASPER MORE 

EDWARD THOMPSON 

The Four Mayflower Passengers Who 

Died While the Mayflower Was 

AT Anchor in Provincetown 

Harbor, Dec. 1620. 



There is the spot where, as Bradford says," We found 
springs of fresh water, of which we were heartily glad, 
and sat us down and drank our first New England water 
with as much delight as ever we drunk drink in our 
lives." This spring (in Truro) was easily identified. 
It is now faced with cement, marked with a tablet and 
is convenient for any one who, like the Pilgrim Fathers, 
would delight to drink drink of it. 

The place where they found the corn is also marked. 
It still bears the name the Fathers gave it, Cornhill. 
Indian arrow heads are abundant here. 



28 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

More important than the washing, or the spring, 
or the corn, was the arrival of a little boy baby on 
board the Mayflower. "This day" (Dec. 16), the 
record says, "It pleased God that Mistress White was 
brought abed of a son which was called Peregrine." 
The little traveller lived to be eighty-four years old, 
and has to this day a descendant bearing his name, 
Peregrine White. 



The Settlers 

"God sifted a whole nation, that He might send 
choice grain into the wilderness^ 

William Stoughton, 1683. 

SOME towns can say of themselves: "In such a 
year, a company came from such a place to this 
place, bought land, organized their church, elected 
their officers, began to make history and to keep the 
record thereof." We can not say that. We just 
growed. The settlers at Plymouth could look back 
from their hills and see our shore. They remembered 
"the whales playing hard by us, of which, if we had 
instruments and means to take them, we might have 
made a very rich return. Which, to our great grief, we 
wanted." Also, J' There was the greatest store of fowl 
that ever we saw." They returned often to Cape Cod 
for the fishing, and probably built huts for shelter and 
for storing the fish. Permanent settlement, however, 
was slow and fluctuating. Could any town in the world 
be more exposed in time of war than this town, isolated, 
on a strip of land only a couple of miles wide, with a 
good harbor open to the enemy.? Therefore, during 
the Colonial Wars, then at the time of the Revolution- 
ary War, and again during the War of 1812, most of 
the settlers fled, returning on the declaration of peace. 



30 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 



The War of 1812 almost ruined the fishing. The 
admiral's ship Majestic lay off the Truro shore; Captain 
Richard Raggett, commander of the British ship 
Spencer, patrolled the bay. At first Captain Raggett 
was disposed to be lenient with the defenseless little 
towns. 

Traces remain, on the premises of the late Elisha 
Nickerson, of an old well where British sailors came 
ashore for water. A well-authenticated family tradi- 
tion relates the story of how little Sylvia Freeman, 
playing on the shore, was approached by a sailor from 
a boat, who said to her: "Little girl, there is a man on 
board the ship who is very sick. If you will get me a 
quart of milk, I will give you two dollars." This he 
did, and Sylvia bought for herself two French calico 




House of Seth Nickerson, built before 1800 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 31 

dresses at fifty cents a yard. Later the two calico 
dresses were made into a quilt which is still in exist- 
ence, the calico dropping to pieces, but unfaded. 

At length Captain Ragget was reprimanded from 
London for his laxness in enforcing the blockade. 
Some of the blockade-runners were then captured and 
sent to Dartmore Prison, England. Usually, however, 
their boats were taken and the men set free. Stories 
are told of Cape Cod skippers, employed by the English 
as pilots along the coast, with disaster to the English 
ships. "1812," by Fitzgerald, is a good little story and 
a true one of an English ship thus cast away by a 
Yankee pilot. 

The end of this unpopular war soon came. When 
at last the Colonies were free from English taxes, and 
from embargoes, when the Constitution of the United 
States had been adopted and a stable government had 
been established, then came an era of great prosperity 
on Cape Cod. 

By that time, the fathers had learned that their 
wealth was in the sea. The Pilgrims were farmers in 
Old England, and they expected to be farmers with 
great estates in New England, even on Cape Cod. The 
Mayflower evidently set sail without hooks and lines or 
a harpoon, for they record that they lacked instruments 
for taking the whales playing about, and that they could 
not catch many fish. They therefore ate the "great 
mussels" which made them sick. These were probably 
sea clams. No wonder they were sick, unless they 
made a chowder with the clams chopped fine and cooked 
a couple of hours; and that delicious and digestible 



32 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

concoction is, I suppose, an evolution. For many years 
fishing was only an avocation to eek out their scanty 
crops. Shrewd old Captain John Smith, however, had 
seen the possibilities and had sent a cargo of dried fish 
to Spain, on which he made a profit of ^7500, remarking 
that the richest mine of the King of Spain was not as 
valuable as the fisheries of Cape Cod. After long 
experience by the up-cape farmers in farming up-cape 
farms, many a man said, "I go a-fishing, I leave the 
women and the boys to care for the cow and the hens, 
and to tend the garden, I go to Provincetown, for there 
the fishing is good." They came from Truro, from 
Eastham, from Barnstable; at first for a week only, 
returning to their homes on Saturday night. Soon they 
built substantial houses close to the water, and brought 
their families. Every dwelling was flanked by a fish- 
store, a flake-yard, and salt-works. 

Then, to be even nearer to the fishing, some went 
across to Long Point and made a settlement there. 
After forty years of the isolation of the Point, they 
returned "T'other Side," again. The houses were put 
on scows and rafted across the harbor, the people living 
within and the smoke curling up from the chimney. 
Most of the houses at the west end of the town were 
thus moved. The department store of Mr. Duncan 
Matherson is the Long Point Schoolhouse. Many 
houses were moved from Truro in the same way. 
Deacon John Dyer was justly celebrated as a mover. 
There were also so many people living at Race Point, 
that Race Point was made a school district, and a 
bridge was built across the Run. 



Here follows a diagram of the 
settlement at Long Point; and 
the names of the householders. 



Key to Map of Long Point 

1. Nunan 

2. Richard Tarrant 

3. Richard Tarrant store (last store left on Point. 

There when barracks were occupied, dur- 
ing the Civil War.) 

4. Philip Smith, afterwards Chas. Adams 

5. Philip Smith, store 

6. Robert Smith 

6a. Robert Smith, store 

7. "Dick Flood" Smith 

8. "Dick Flood" Smith, salt works 

9. Eldridge Smith 

10. Jonathan Smith 

11. Jonathan Smith, store 

12. Heman Smith 

13. Heman Smith, store 

14. Wm. Dill (last house left on Point) 

15. Wm. Dill, store 

16. Elijah Doane (house on Nickerson St.) 

17. Elijah Doane, store 

18. John Williams (only 2-story dwelling house on 

Point) 

19. Joseph Butler 

20. Joseph Butler, store 

21. Jonathan Sparrow 

22. John Weeks, moved from 34 



36 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

23. John Weeks, store 

24. Nathaniel Freeman 

25. Nathaniel Freeman, store 

26. Joseph Emery 

27. Schoolhouse, removed from SO Somewhere near 

28. Edward Starr here, house of 

29. Prince Freeman Barnabas Atwood, 

30. John Ghen, double house m. Sylvia Free- 

31. John Ghen, store man. Isaac Paine 

32. John Atwood, Sen., 32a. her second husband 

His store on "Back of Point" 

33. Joseph Farwell 

34. John Weeks, afterwards moved to 22 

35. John Weeks, store, afterwards moved to 23 

36. John Atwood, Jr., shop, later kept by Chas. Adams 

only store on Point 

37. John Atwood, Jr. wharf. Only one on Point 

38. John Atwood, Jr., house and woodshed at end of 

bridge. 

39. Nathaniel E. Atwood 

40. Nathaniel E. Atwood, store 
40a. Nathaniel E. Atwood, store 

41. Chas. Freeman 

42. Samuel Atwood, moved from 55 

43. John Atwood, Sr., salt works 

44. John Atwood, Sr., store with brother, Jeremiah 

45. Eldridge Nickerson (or John) 

46. John Nickerson (or Eldridge) 

47. John Nickerson, windmill for salt works 

48. John Nickerson, salt works 

49. John Nickerson, stor§ 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 37 

50. Schoolhouse, afterwards moved to 27 

51. Timothy Nickerson (f) 

52. Henry Cowing (Somewhere near here, house 

53. Henry Cowing, store of William Mears) 

54. Where tree roots of tea cedar used to be found 

55. Samuel Atwood, afterward moved to 42 

56. John Burt 

57. Isaac Atwood 

58. Stephen Atwood 

59. Stephen Atwood, store 

60. Francis Abbott 

61. A bulkhead to keep water from wearing back. 

Dotted line marks road by which most of the teams 
came. At low tide there was no water in Lobster 
Plain, and most of the teams came then from 
town with coal, etc. 

The Natives 

The speech of Cape Cod people has preserved the 
old English tongue in singular fashion. We still hear 
the old plural "housen" for houses; we say, as Queen 
Victoria did, "put by" for embarrassed; "put out" 
for offended, "put up with" for tolerate; "falling out" 
for quarrel, vide Shakespeare; "heave" for throw, as in 
the days of the King James version; "clever" for good- 
natured; and "My kitchen is all in a maum," and 
"Fmgallied." 

Shebnah Rich in his History of Truro says: 
"In dialect, in manners, in their sturdy independence, 
their picturesque and colored methods of speech, and 
their love of grim humor, they are essentially Yankee. 



38 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

They have the breadth and generosity of language that 
is always accredited to dwellers by the sea. There is 
a sort of poetry in it." He illustrates this as follows: 
"I was coasting in a vessel that would sail well free of 
the wind, but on a close haul I was ashamed to be seen 
on deck. Uncle Nailor was my mate. One morning 
when a head wind had us, and common sailing vessels 
were passing us like steamboats, I ventured out of the 
gangway, and said, 'Mr. Hatch, how does she go 
along?' He promptly replied, 'By the prophet's nip- 
pers, Skipper, when you see her wake out of the weather 
hawse-hole, I call it a gallbuster.' " Could any saying 
be more descriptive than that of a captain, now on the 
quarter deck who "came in through the hawse-hole". 
Could any name mean more than "Ambergris John- 
son," a lucky whaler, and "Virgin Rock David," a 
good Grand Banker.? 

The repetition of the same family name has led 
to a local system of naming. Since there are many 
Mary Nickersons, they are called Mary Frank, Mary 
Alfred, Mary Addison, Mary James, Mary Caleb, Mary 
Seth, et al. Two aunts, both named Hannah Small, 
are Aunt Hannah Isaac and Aunt Hannah Alfred. 
Two grandmothers, both Paines, are Grandmother 
Nancy and Grandmother Sylvia. By an almost uni- 
versal custom, people are called by their first and 
middle names. It is confusing to those not to the 
manner born, that Billy May and Warren Baker are 
brothers named Smith, that Kate Kelly and Billie 
Kilborn are brother and sister, and that Nina Sweet 
is Miss Willis. 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 39 

It is not strange that the speech is English, when 
you consider the stock. In 1644, the whole Plymouth 
Colony seriously debated moving to Eastham. The 
record reads, "Divers of the considerablest of the 
church and town removed." Those coming were 
Thomas Prince, John Doane, Nicholas Snow, Josias 
Cooke, Richard Higgins, John Smalley, Edward Bangs. 
Thomas Prince was three times elected governor of the 
colony, and a special dispensation was given that he 
might continue to live In Eastham. His old pear tree 
brought from England, was flourishing only a few years 
ago. The door-stone of the Governor's house in 
Eastham was given to the Pilgrim Memorial Associa- 
tion, and is placed at the entrance to the Pilgrim 
Monument in Provincetown, where all who enter cross 
the stone so often pressed by the feet of those who were 
building a new world. 

To these first settlers in Eastham was added 
another group called the second comers. They were 
Rev. John Knowles, Joseph Collins, William Myrick, 
John Young, Thomas Paine and others. From these 
families the whole lower end of the Cape was populated. 
All were of pure English stock and their descendants 
are all related. Their speech, their manners, and 
their very names appear in Blackmore's Lorna Doone, 
where he paints the life of Devonshire, Eng., whence 
many Cape Cod people came. 



, 1 



■:r=l ^ - -< 




How the Town Was 
Laid Out 

HERE is the harbor broad and deep. At full 
tide, boats go to high-water-mark; at low 
water, the gently sloping shore is safe and 
easy. Here is the level sandy beach, circling the blue 
harbor, like the gold setting of a sapphire. 

Up-along-the-shore and Down-along-the-shore the 
fathers made their homes. Few built on the hills. 
Who would live "Up-back?" They were squatters, 
with no title from the Indians and none from the 
Commonwealth. Their lots ran along the shore, and 
extended from the harbor to the ocean. When sons 
married, fathers gave them a place close by for building 
the new house; so that we became a series of neighbor- 
hoods. Way-up-along, on Gull Hill, were two brothers, 
Joshua Paine and Nathaniel Paine from Truro. There 
the soil was good, and "Nancy had the prettiest flower 
bed in town," At the foot of the hill were the 
houses of John and Arnold Small, also from Truro; 
their wives were sisters, and cousins to the Paines. 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 41 

Next toward the east was Stephen Nickerson and his 
sons, and after Abraham Small and the Sopers, connected 
by marriage, came another Nickerson neighborhood, 
Seth Nickerson and his sons, Jonathan Nickerson and 
his sons, Thomas Nickerson and his sons. Stephen, 
Jonathan, Seth and Thomas were cousins. 

Then the Lancy neighborhood, and the Free- 
mans; Nathan, Phineas, Charles, Prince and Hatsuld. 
Then came a neighborhood where three Paine brothers 
married three Nickerson sisters; and two Paines, 
brothers to the first group, married two Nickerson 
sisters, who were cousins to the other girls. And yet 
there are persons in town who correctly trace their 
genealogy. Then Conants, Ryders, Atkinses, Atwoods, 
Hills, Doanes, Hatches, Smalls, Collinses, Higginses, 
Cooks, oh, many Cooks, Riches, Bangses, Williamses, 
Bushes, Mayos, and others. Some names once nu- 
merous, are now gone. 

Many of these old families had coats-of-arms. 
About 1830, a man named Cole traversed the Cape and 
furnished the aristocracy with these beautiful designs, 
at a good price. He knew something of heraldry, and 
what he did not know his artistic fancy supplied. Many 
of the coats-of-ams are decorated with corn-stalks, some 
of them display an American flag, most of them are 
valueless, except as they have been a treasured keep- 
sake in a family for near a hundred years. Who would 
believe that scarcely fifty years after the Revolution, 
these old patriots would be buying coats-of-arms.'' 
They were the people who during that war, from a 
village of twenty-three families, gave twenty-eight 



42 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

men to the American cause. But they bought the 
coats-of-arms, and we prize 'em. Not many people in 
town are eligible for the Revolutionary Societies. 
Since five hundred British ships were captured by 
American privateers, we can guess the reason why our 
names do not appear on the records. 

The Street 

At first there was no street. They carried their 
burdens in boats; they carried their dead on a bier. 
In 1829, the Provincetown minister, Mr. Stone, wrote 
to a friend, "Would you believe that there is a town in 
the United States, with eighteen hundred inhabitants, 
and only one horse, with one eye.'' Well, that town is 
Provincetown, and I am the only man in it that owns 
a horse, and he is an old white one with only one eye." 
A Provincetown boy, seeing a carriage driven along, 
wondered how she could steer so straight without any 
rudder. Shebnah Rich, in his History of Truro, says: 
"There was no road through the town. With no carts, 
carriages, wagons, horses or oxen, why a road } Every 
man had a path from his house to his boat or vessel, 
and once launched, he was on the broad highway of 
nations without tax or toll. There were paths to the 
neighbors, paths to school, paths to church; tortuous 
paths perhaps, but they were good pilots by night or 
day, by land or water. Besides, at low water there 
was a road such as none else could boast, washed 
completely twice a day from year to year, wide enough, 
and free enough, and long enough if followed, for the 
armies of the Netherland." This street led downward 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 43 

to the sea and landward to the West. 

Nevertheless, early deeds speak of the"Town Rode," 
and it seems that the present Front Street, laid out by 
the County Commissioners ir) 1835, must have followed 
a well-beaten track, the "Town Rode." Of course there 
was great opposition to such an innovation as a street. 
"We don't need it," "We can walk along shore as well 
as ever we did." "It will cost too much." It did 
cost 31273.04 for land damages. "We don't want any 
street along our back door." The houses faced the 
water then; since then some of the houses have been 
turned around; some of them still have the front door 
on the shore side. One man, a doctor, who had not 
lived long in town, proposed that the street be made 
sixty-four feet wide, but they soon voted down such 
foolishness as that from foreigners. He tried to com- 
promise on thirty-two feet, but twenty-two feet seemed 
wide enough for all possible purposes, and twenty-two 
feet wide it is. The greatest difficulty arose when the 
County Commissioners, "supervised by a committee of 
three representing the town," took land. When they 
reached Lancy's Corner, Mr. Lancy came out and said: 
"Whoever saws through my salt-works, saws through 
my body." And Joshua Paine replied, "Where's a 
saw?" Nevertheless, the road went round the Lancy 
property and makes the two bad turns now so danger- 
ous. 

The Sidewalk 
No sooner was the street laid out than extravagant 
souls began to talk of a sidewalk. The time was 
auspicious because the town had some easy money to 



44 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

spend. This was during Jackson's administration 
when the Government had its debt paid and had in the 
national treasury $40,000,000 surplus revenue. This 
surplus was divided among the States, and by the 
Commonwealth of Massachusetts was sub-divided 
among her towns. With this money the town paid 
its debt, and appropriated something for schools. The 
remainder, the conservatives wanted to put out at 
interest, and the progressives wanted to use to build a 
plank sidewalk. Debate in town meeting lasted a 
week. When it was apparent how close the vote would 
be, some one challenged Mr. Abraham Chapman (a 
sidewalk man) as not an American citizen. Full of 
indignation, Mr. Chapman demanded to know what 
was meant by such a word as that, and it was explained 
to him that his folks were Tories during the Revolution- 
ary War; that they had gone from town to Nova 
Scotia, where he was born; that he was six months 
old when he came to the United States, that therefore 
he was not an American citizen and not entitled to 
vote. But Mr. Chapman's vote was admitted and 
when at last the votes were counted there were one 
hundred and forty-nine ayes and one hundred and 
forty-eight nays, and the sidewalk was built in 1838. 
Neither the town records nor the records of the Com- 
monwealth tell what Provincetown's share of this 
surplus was, but tradition affirms that we received 
36000. So incensed were some of the fathers at the 
use of the surplus revenue, that they refused ever to walk 
on the sidewalk and they continued all their lives to 
plough through the sand. Those who were young then 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 45 

remembered to their dying days how springing and 
delightful was the new plank sidewalk. They do say 
that Cape Cod girls know the trick of walking in the 
sand without filling their shoes. Try this, ye off- 
islanders. Lift your feet high, toe in a bit, and put 
your feet down flat. 

The King's Highway 

The present main street through the town is "the 
Terminal of the King's Highway," laid out in 1717-20 
"to connect to and through the Province Lands." 
From Eastham it passed around the ponds in the 
Wellfleet woods, came down through Truro woods 
near the ocean to the vicinity of the head of 
Pamet River by the present Coast Guard Station, 
continuing northward still through the woods along 
by the Lodge at the Highlands, on by Ocean Farm, 
passing about two hundred yards west of the Highland 
Coast Guard Station, along to the head of Eastern 
Harbor meadows, across the sand dunes to the harbor, 
(probably over Snail Road,) "to and through the Prov- 
ince Lands," whose eastern boundary is the Eastern 
schoolhouse. The present highway over Beach Point 
was laid out at a later date, about 1850. 

The bridge across East Harbor was built in 1854. 
It was destroyed by the ice a couple of years later, and 
rebuilt. Before the building of the bridge, all travel 
up the Cape went across those drifting sand hills to the 
north and east of the dyke; hills which whaling cap- 
tains say look exactly like the Desert of Sahara. They 
remind others of the snow-clad hills of Labrador. 
Bradford street was laid out in 1873. 



46 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

The Town Landings 

The streets running off Commercial Street are 
continuations of the town landings. These public 
landings are all along the shore, open for any one to 
moor his boat or unload his fish. One is at the foot of 
West Vine Street; one at the foot of Franklin Street; 
one at the end of Good Templar Street, which is the 
continuation of an alley running into Pleasant Street. 
One is across the front street from Atlantic Avenue. 
One is at the west side of the Excelsior engine house; 
one west of the Post Office; one at Hilliard's wharf 
opposite Freeman Street; one at the foot of Pearl 
Street. The streets opposite the landings are the old 
paths that led to the fish-flakes, to the salt-works, to 
the"Backside. All these streets converge into four 
well-marked old roads. They are sandy roads and 
hard to travel (except the State Highway), but they 
skirt the beautiful ponds, cross the dunes and lead to 
the ocean. One is the Race Road, at the west end; 
one is the Atkins Mayo Road, laid out in 1803, not far 
from the Eastern schoolhouse; one is Snail Road, west 
of Mayflower Heights; one is the Nigger Head Road, 
now the State Highway, running out just east of John- 
son Street, smooth and easy for walking or for auto- 
mobiles. 

It was hard to protect those old roads from the 
sinking sand beneath them and the shifting sand beside 
them. They were hardened with turf cut from the 
hills, and covered with clay, with brush, with shells, 
with chips, with old nets, with coal ashes and cinders, 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 47 

but nothing was sufficient to make a permanent and 
hard road till the modern macadam was used. One 
would suppose that even this would be cut by the 
heavy auto-trucks, but on the contrary, the roads down 
the Cape are considered among the best in the State. 

Indefinite Bounds 

When the town was set off as a Precinct, the bounds 
between Truro and the Province Lands were deter- 
mined by representatives from the General Court. 
These bounds were fixed by marked trees, "running 
from the jaw-bone of a whale set in the ground near a 
red oak stump and running to a red cedar post set in a 
sand hill, to the North Sea." The directions are fixed 
by compass, but no distances are given. Many old 
deeds describe land as running from somebody's flake- 
yard to the salt-works of somebody else. Here is an 
instance of a careless bound. George Adams kept a 
shop which stood and still stands on the shore. Trade 
was good as long as travel was along shore, but when 
the street was laid out and people walked on the side- 
walk, his trade suffered. He asked the town to lay out 
a road from the street to his shop. This the town 
refused to do. Then he applied to the county to lay 
out a county road for his use and that of his customers. 
The county did this, and the work of the county 
commissioners is recorded in the Barnstable Records, 
Book 2, page 129, as follows: "Commencing at a point 
on the county road running through Provincetown, 
five and a half feet westward of the dwelling house 



48 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

occupied by Nathan Freeman, at a Notch cut in a 
board fence, and thence running south forty-eight 
degrees and thirty minutes east by compass about one 
hundred and thirty-three and a half feet to the west 
corner of an outbuilding or necessary belonging to the 
said George M, Adams, and sitting on the northwest 
corner of his land. The foregoing described line con- 
stitutes the north-easterly side of the way now laid out, 
and the south-westerly side is to be nine feet from this 
line in all places." 

The Wharves 

About the time the street and sidewalk were built, 
wharves began to appear along the shore. The first 
wharf was built opposite Masonic Hall by Mr. Thomas 
Lothrop. His neighbors predicted that the tide would 
cut away the sand from the piles, and the wharf would 
fall. They might have recalled how hopeless is a 
vessel caught on a bar. The sea rots the piles, some- 
times the ice breaks them, but the sand holds them. 
The Union Wharf was built in 1831, by Jonathan, 
Stephen and Thomas Nickerson and Samuel Soper. 
Then followed thirty wharves in twenty years. The 
schoolhouses were built soon after, and the churches. 

Prosperous Times 

Business of all kinds flourished, till Provincetown 
was reckoned the richest town per capita in Massa- 
chusetts. Judge Henry D. Scudder in his oration at 
the first anniversary of the Cape Cod Association in 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 49 

1851, said: "Provincetown, the Sahara of Cape Cod, 
where all the freehold property which nature ever gave 
her, if bid oif at public sale, would hardly satisfy the 
auctioneer. Provincetown, in proportion to her popu- 
lation, is not only the wealthiest town upon the Cape, 
but in personal estate is, I think, the richest town in 
all the Commonwealth." 

Most of the houses were story-and-a-half-houses, 
an architecture characteristic of Cape Cod and har- 
monius with the setting. They were set twenty feet 
back from the sidewalk, with a little lawn in front. 
They have been razed for more pretentious dwellings; 
they have been modernized; they have been extended 
to the sidewalk, but these changes have rarely been 
improvements. 



Salt-Making 



THEY prospered on the water. And on the land? 
Back of the houses were the Salt-works. 
A mill at the foot of the rising pumped sea-water 
into vats, through hollow logs made tight at the joints 
with white lead. The vats were about twenty feet 
square and eighteen inches deep. They were arranged 
in groups of three or four, the water-room, the bitter- 
water-room, the salt-room. The sea-water in the vats 
exposed to the sun, rapidly evaporated, leaving the 
salt. Three hundred and fifty gallons of water pro- 
duced one bushel of salt. As the clear salt was shov- 
elled from the last vat and spread out to dry, the 
partly evaporated water in the bitter-water-room was 
allowed to run into the salt-room, and new water was 
pumped into the water-room. These vats had covers 
on rollers, which were pushed over the vats at night 
or at signs of a shower. These rollers were ten inches 
in diameter; occasionally one of them, now used as a 
foot-stool, can be found. A man and a boy could 
manage the covers. As the boys of the family grew up 
and went off to sea, boys from Boston were adopted to 
help with the salt-works. They were seldom legally 
adopted, but they were in all respects members of the 
family. Some of these boys grew to be among our 
best citizens. 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 51 

Salt-making was exceedingly profitable. The cost 
of building the salt-works was small. Uncle Jonathan 
took his Grand Banker, when she got home in the fall, 
and with his boys as crew, went to Maine and bought 
cedar posts, pine planks and joists, brought them home 
in the vessel, and threw them overboard at high tide. 
Men carried the lumber on their backs up from the 
shore to a level place not far from the dwelling house, 
and there they built a "string of salt-works," sixty or 
eighty vats. The work of tending salt-works was done 
by elderly men and boys, with sometimes, when black 
clouds rolled up in the west, the help of the women. 
The noise of many covers rolling over the vats, when a 
shower threatened, rivalled the thunder itself. Before 
the days of salt-works, when salt was manufactured in 
a kettle over the fire in the fire-place, its cost was eight 
dollars a bushel. In 1837, Provincetown had seventy- 
eight salt-works, producing 48,960 bushels of salt, and 
the price was one dollar a bushel. That would give an 
income of more than six hundred dollars for the old 
man and the boys, during the summer, while the 
Bankers were away. The brine left in the bitter water 
room, evaporating slowly during the winter, yielded a 
little pin-money in the form of Epsom or Glauber's 
salts. Reduction of the duty on salt, the repeal of th^ 
bounty, the discovery of salt in New York State,!^ 
ruined the salt making here. The salt-works were 
dismantled, and houses and stores were built of the 
lumber. The two-story fish-stores, common along the 
shore, unpainted, but well proportioned, with double 
doors large enough to take in a boat, below and above, 



52 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 



were made of salt-works boards. They are now used 
as studios by the artists. The beams and the inside 
boards, so long saturated with salt, are silvery; they 
will last, I suppose, to the end of time. This shining 
background carries the draperies and the pictures of 
the artists. The building that looks to the chance 
passer-by like a bare barn, is all beautiful within. The 
house with rust around every nail-hole, though well 
painted, that house was built of salt-works. 




Provincetown in 1839 




Cod-Fishing- 



IN THE State House in Boston hangs the "sacred 
cod-fish," emblem of the prosperity of Massachu- 
setts. The following is from the Official Guide- 
book of the State House. "Wednesday, March 17, 
1784, Mr. John Rowe moved the House that leave 
might be given to hang up the representation of a 
cod-fish in the room where the house sit, as a memorial 
of the importance of the Cod Fishery to the welfare of 
this Commonwealth, as has been usual formerly. 
Possibly an emblem hung in the old State or Town 
House, but as this structure was burned Dec. 9, 1747, 
The cod-fish doubtless was destroyed. The State 
House in State street was erected in 1748, and although 
it is not known when the cod-fish was restored, in a 
bill of 1783, presented by Thomas Crafts Jr., to the 



54 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

Province of Massachusetts Bay, the following item 
appears: 'To painting cod-fish — 15 shillings.' As 
moved by Mr. Rowe, the emblem was suspended in 
the House, remaining there until transferred to the new 
State House, with the archives in 1789, and suspended 
in the House of Representatives. Just before its trans- 
fer it received a fresh coat of paint, as shown by a bill 
of Dec. 6, 1797, from Samuel Gore, 'Painting cod-fish 
— 12 shillings.' On March 7, 1895, it was ordered that 
the Sergeant-at-Arms be and is hereby directed to 
cause the immediate removal of an ancient representa- 
tion of a Cod-fish from its present position in the 
chamber recently vacated by the House, and to cause 
it to be suspended in a suitable place over the Speaker's 
chair in the new chamber. A committee of fifteen, 
under the escort of John G. B. Adams, Sergeant-at- 
Arms, proceeded to the old chamber when the emblem 
was lowered, wrapped in an American flag, and borne 
to the House of Representatives, by four messengers. 
It was repaired and painted by Walter M. Brackett, 
at an expense of 3100, and on April 29, 1895 was ordered 
to be hung opposite the Speaker's chair. The codfish 
is made of pine; measures four feet eleven in cheslong, 
and ten inches through the largest part of the body." 

Thus Mr. John Rowe put into the form of a motion 
before the General Court, the sentiment of Captain 
John Smith two hundred years before, that the fisheries 
of Cape Cod are better than a gold mine. Perhaps 
Mr. Rowe prefaced his motion with a speech, telling 
how the schools had been supported by a tax on fish, 
the minister in the same way, and how pensions for 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 55 

old soldiers had come out of the State's fish money. 
Perhaps he went on to SLy, after the manner of political 
orators: "The fishing towns of the Commonwealth, 
ruined by the Revolutionary War, have perked up 
again, now that the Yankees in the treaty of peace 
have forced the Britishers to allow us to fish on the 
Grand Banks, without reciprocal rights of fishing on 
our coast." Mr. Rowe could readily make much of 
this, for governments find it easy to manipulate the 
fisheries. A man owns and controls his farm, but who 
owns the fish in the sea.'' The fishing business is a 
most uncertain business. There is always the uncer- 
tainty of what the Government may do. Changes of 
tariff or of bounties may make or break a fleet of 
vessels in a single year. 

Fish come and fish disappear and nobody knows 
why they go or where. Methods of fishing change also. 
In 1885 there was invested in fishing in this town 
3964,573, in wharves, in vessels, in oufittter's firms, and 
all the related industries, as sail-lofts, block-maker's 
shops, rigger's lofts, iron-worker's places, marine rail- 
ways^ etc. Now scarcely a vestige of all this is left. 
Seines, weirs, motor-boats, refrigerating plants have 
entirely supplanted the Grand Bankers, the mackerel 
catchers and the whalers. The whole story of fishing 
iSvOne of big voyages and broken voyages, of flush 
times and lean times, of vessels coming in scuppers 
down, and vessels coming in light as a bladder. Noth- 
ing is better property than a vessel with lucky wood 
in^er, and nothing deterioriates so fast as a vessel 
hauled up. 




On the Grand Banks 



Dr. Johnson said that going to sea was going 
to prison with a chance of being drowned, besides. 

THIS is the way the Bankers looked, as they 
sailed away for the Grand Banks in April. In 
early days they fished over the rail, half the 
men fishing, and half dressing down, turn by turn. 
The cook was usually a boy ten years old; the only 
qualification necessary for the berth of cook was the 
strength to lift the 'great pot." In those days they 
made three trips a year to the Banks and they had 
good reason to hope for thirty per cent on the money 
invested, each trip. Captain John Paine Havender 
made fifty-seven successful voyages, and never made 
a broken one. On one voyage in the Raritan he was 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 57 

gone from home seven weeks and cleared as his share 
32200. He relates the perils of fishing on the Banks, 
as set forth by Jennings in his Httle book, thus: "We 
were at anchor to the windward of the Main Shoal, a 
big fleet there with us. A heavy gale came up, but 
the fleet thought they could ride it out. As the gale 
increased and the shoal water to the le'ward was 
breaking mast-head high, all at once the vessel gave a 
lurch, and I knew we were adrift. Grabbing an ax, I 
ran for'ard and cut the cable at the windless, hoisted 
the jib, and went aft and put up the helm. As I did 
so, a tremendous sea rushed down on us and I thought 
our last voyage was over. But the jib and the helm 
brought her stern to the sea, and rising on it we were 
driven ahead ten knot. I expected every second that 
she would go end over end, but quicker than I can tell 
it, we were over the shoal and in smoother water, where 
we reefed the fores'l, and hove her to and rode out the 
gale. When the wind moderated, we went back to the 
fishing grounds and finished up our trip. The rest of 
the fleet thought we had gone to the bottom; that no 
vessel could go over the Main Shoal and through the 
breakers and come out alive." 

Now, they fish with trawls from dories, two men 
in a dory. If you ask what a trawl is, there is a 
classic answer from one who knows: "A trawl is what 
you go trawling with." A trawl line is often a mile 
long and carries a thousand hooks. 

When the bankers left home, they carried sixty to 
a hundred and fifty hogsheads of dry salt. Day by 
day, as the fish were caught and dressed, the supply of 



58 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

salt was wet, that is, was used, until the voyage was 
done. When we natives desire to say with emphasis 
that an undertaking is completed, we say, "I have wet 
my salt!" Having said that, further expostulation or 
entreaty is futile. We are done. The men go out 
from the vessel in dories and draw the trawls, and 
bring the fish aboard the vessel, where they are dressed. 
■'The throater, the gutter, the splitter are skillful with 
the knife; the fish are carefully washed, salted and 
stored in the kench in the hold; the tongues and sounds 
are salted in barrels; the livers cared for; the decks 
swabbed down, and the men who had their breakfast 
at three in the morning are ready for the bunk. 

All this is in the day's work. Sometimes fog 
hangs thick and heavy and the men in the dories can 
not find their way back to the vessel. Sometimes an 
ocean liner, a thousand times as large as the stout 
little banker, looms above them out of the fog, and 
the men shiver to see her rush by, thankful that she 
did not ride them down. A good story and an accurate 
description of life on the Banks is given in Kipling's 
Captains Courageous. 

Home again in September! While the vessel was 
yet a great way off, before she made Wood End, men 
on the hills with glasses saw her and knew her name 
and ran and told whether she was coming in deep or 
light. The fish were pitched into dories, boated ashore, 
and thrown into the water, there to be washed. 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 



59 




Washing Fish 

This is the way they wheeled up the fish from the 
water. The banker's crew and every man along shore 
washed the fish. To all these men, the owners of the 
vessel were expected to give a dinner. Slang of to-day 
speaks of a "whale of a job." That is exactly what 
Cape Cod women mean when they say, "I would as 
soon get up a fishermen's dinner." 




Drying Fish 



60 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

This Is how they dried the fish on flakes. They 
were spread every morning and piled and covered every 
night. If sometimes the girls said: "O father, you 
smell fishy!" father replied, "Smells money, girls." 

The Stock Company 

The vessel and the voyage were a stock company, 
with the stock divided into sixteenths. When a new 
vessel was to be built, the outfitters took one eighth, 
the Capt'n an eighth, the sail-maker, the block-maker, 
the spar-maker, the rigger, each took a sixteenth; the 
remainder was taken by the neighbors and the outfitter. 
Somebody would take a share for the privilege of 
naming the vessel; this privilege carried with it the 
gift to the vessel of the colors. 

The Store of the Outfitter 

The crew went on shares or hired as they chose. 
While a man was away at sea, his family lived from the 
store of the outfitter. These stores kept everything, 
and the goods were always arranged in the same order, 
beginning with dogfish chain hanging in the corner, 
with hooks and lines next, the raisins and crackers and 
cheese In a convenient place, a very limited stock of 
candy in glass jars near by, dry goods, crockery, 
hardware, around the store to the spy-glass on a rack 
at the rear door. Down cellar were flour, molasses, 
potatoes, kerosene and the corn-crib. In the attic 
were oil-clothes, nests of boxes, coils of rope, etc., etc., 
etc. 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 61 

The Sailor's Wife 

A woman at home took pride in keeping down the 
bills at the store while her man was away at sea. 
Her standing in the community was partly determined 
by the amount due him when the voyage was settled. If 
she could leave his voyage untouched, she was a smart 
one. Some poor fellows, however, always came home 
to find their voyage eaten up. 

The Bank 

The outfitters did also the work of a bank; receiv- 
ing, investing and lending money. The Union Wharf 
Company was really a bank, a branch of Freeman's 
Bank in Boston till the organization of the Province- 
town National Bank, in 1854, One night, the little 
old safe in the Union Wharf Store was broken open 
and the cash, about ^15,000, was stolen. A few days 
later, the company received word that if they would 
say no more about it, they would find the money under 
the steps of the South Truro Meeting House. And 
there they found it. 

Insurance 

The thrifty Cape Codders hated to pay out money 
to "them Boston Insurance Fellers," so they organized 
a local, mutual, marine, insurance company, which 
charged low rates and was able to pay good dividends. 

Some outfitters went so far as to be their own 
insurance company. This was prudent, but nerve- 



62 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

racking in bad weather. The story is told of an owner 
who dreamed of seeing one of his captains on the 
Banks with his throat cut. Next morning he placed 
heavy insurance in Boston. Before Saturday night 
the captain was in with the biggest voyage he ever 
made. 

Settling the Voyage 

There was an accepted system of settling the 
voyage. First the great generals were taken out of the 
total. The great generals were bait, salt, gear, ice, 
towing, and canal charges if any. Then an eighth of 
the remainder was allowed for shrinking, and a four- 
teenth for curing the fish. Then the difference between 
an eighth and a fourteenth was given the owners. 
Nobody seems to know why this little dividend went 
to the owners here, except that custom decreed it. 
Then the vessel's part was taken out, and that was a 
third or a quarter as agreed upon in advance, then 
the small generals which were the food. The 
balance went to the sharesmen, who paid the wages of 
the men who were hired, (out of their share). A voyage 
to the Grand Banks lasted about five months. Each 
of the crew earned approximately three hundred dollars 
besides his food. Profits of owners varied. To quote 
one who had been at it many years: "You think you 
will get rich, but you don't; you think you will go to 
the poor-house, but you do not get there." 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 63 

After the Voyage 

The heyday of the year came after the voyage was 
settled and before it was time to fit out again. Those 
who think that Provincetown must be dull after the 
summer boarders go, forget that then many men are 
at home with money in their pockets, who feel that 
after a voyage at sea they are entitled to a good time 
ashore. They had a part in everything from the 
revival meetings in the Methodist Church to the 
Masonic Ball in Town Hall. The Minstrel Show and 
the Dramatic Exhibition packed the hall; the Old 
Folks Concert, with Cale Cook, who "caluped it" on 
the bass viol, filled the church. The beauty of Prof. 
Penniman's Cantata, Florals Festival, given sixty years 
ago, has never been forgotten. Still persists the effect 
on the health of the town, of a series of lectures on 
sanitation and hygiene given by Dr. Miller. He used 
a skeleton and a manikin and many charts, and gave 
most sensible and instructive lectures. Everybody 
in town paid the price of admission and went to hear 
him. The worst storm of the winter did not diminish 
his audience. Men and women donned rubber boots 
and went to Dr. Miller's lecture. 

The old Capt'ns had a debating club where they 
thrashed out topics the modern forums would not dare 
to touch: The North Pole, Spiritualism, Prohibition, 
Mesmerism, Endless Punishment, Free Trade, and the 
Merits of a Ship Against a Schooner. The debate on 
Temperance waxed personal, and one member was 
told, "I can smell it on your robin." In the days of 



64 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

the Lyceum, the best speakers in the country came to 
Provincetown. The Odd Fellows had a large library 
for their members, and the Sunday Schools all had 
good collections of books. 

Buying a Farm 
They dreamed and they talked of the time coming 
when they would go to sea no more, but would buy a 
farm in Vineland, New Jersey. They always specified, 
however, that they would not buy a farm in Vineland, 
New Jersey, till they could get a patent milker. 

Farming, and especially a cow, is a kind of joke 
to us. A minister from the country settled here and 
naturally thought it a good idea to keep a cow, but 
his usefulness was gone when he became known as the 
Cow Minister. 

Once upon a time, grandmother attempted to keep 
a cow. The cow was a wandering cow and a nuisance 
to grandmother and the neighbors, till grandmother's 
son determined to sell her, and nobody would buy. 
One of the vessels was almost ready for sea when a 
man came anxious to ship. Son told him that they 
did not need another man, but that if he would take 
his pay in cow, he could go aboard. The man said he 
would do this, if the cow could be delivered at his place 
in Truro. Early the next morning, before light, son 
sneaked out of town leading the cow. He met no one 
but the post-master getting ready the early mail. The 
cow in her new home was at her old trick of journeying 
abroad. In about a week came a letter addressed 
to "The Man Who Sold a Cow to Elisha Rich." This 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 



65 



the post-master promptly delivered to the right person, 
and for years the laugh was on the man who sold a 
cow to Elisha Rich. 

Farm Bureau 

The work of the Cape Cod Farm Bureau connected 
with the Massachusetts Agricultural College is giving 
dignity and instruction to phases of life on Cape Cod 
in which there are great possibilities. 




The Fleet 



Mackerel- Catching 

MACKEREL-catching is less prosaic than Cod- 
fishing. Schools of mackerel follow the coast 
from North Carolina to the Bay of Fundy in 
the spring, and back again in the fall. The mackerel- 
catchers follow the fish. A good skipper can mark the 
place of the schools almost to a day. The mackerel- 
catchers are built to be swifter than the bankers, and 
much more rakish. They are never far from the coast 
and they make harbor often. I tell not of the dull old 
days when men fished over the rail; when they used 
their own hook and line and owned what they caught; 
literally every man on his own hook; not of the days 
when they went set-netting or dragging; but of the 
high days of mackerel-catching with a purse-sei.ne. A 
purse-seine is large and deep and can be drawn up to 
form a pocket in the center. The vessel follows along 
near the school, every man on board, some in the 
rigging, some at the bow, watching for signs of fish. 
Old skippers locate the fish when the evidence is so 
slight that they themselves can hardly tell how they 
do it, whether by a little ripple on the water, or by a 
difference in color or by an odor. But they seldom 
make a mistake. The crew board the seine boat and 
surround the school, carefully, quietly, lest the fish get 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 67 

wild. "Now boys, pus up!" The lower edge of the 
seine is gathered together by ropes leading to the 
middle, and in the purse are a hundred barrels of 
mackerel. If it is a big school, and the seine does not 
break, there are three hundred barrels. 

Captain L. Dow Baker 

Fish, however, are not as foolish as they look, and 
after a time when a thousand sail were following them, 
they left for parts unknown or they were extermin- 
ated, and mackerel catching went to nothing. Some 
of the captains used their vessels for freighting to the 
West Indies. One man. Captain L. Dow Baker, of 
Wellfleet, brought back from Jamaica a cargo of ban- 
anas, bought there for little, sold here for much. Out 
of this venture grew the United Fruit Company, owned 
at first by Captain Baker and his friends, and managed 
by his family and his neighbors. 

Captain Si. Chase 

After the mackerel had been out of knowledge for 
ten years, Captain Josiah Chase, in a port in South 
Africa, saw mackerel and mackerel a-plenty. He came 
home, fitted out a schooner and went back to South 
Africa to catch those mackerel. He died there of fever 
before he made a voyage. The next year the mackerel 
were again on our coast. The fleet said that the 
mackerel said that if Si Chase was after them, they 
might as well come and be caught first as last. There 
is now only a small fleet of mackerel-catchers. Motor 
boats and deep water traps are used instead. i ^ 



Whaling 



"Whales in the sea 
God's voice obey." 

From the New England Primer, published about 
1785. 

"The mighty whale doth in these harbors lie, 
Whose oyle the mearchant deare will buy." 
William Morrell, in Plymouth, 1623, published in 
London. 

Richard Mather came to Massachusetts Bay 
Colony in 1635, where he saw mighty whales "spewing 
up water in the air like smoke from a chimney, of such 
Incredible bigness that I will never wonder that the 
body of Jonah could be in the belly of a whale." 

"In 1725, Paul Dudley of Massachusetts commun- 
icated to the Royal Society of London an essay upon 
the Natural History of Whales. Since that day the 
literature of whales has multiplied to an appalling 
degree. Much has been written, little is accurately 
known, for whales can not be observed and compared 
at will, without much labor." — Glover M. Allen, Secre- 
tary and Librarian of the Boston Society of Natural 
History. 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 69 

"The Whaleman's Joys" 
{From Walt Whitman's Songs of Joy) 

Othe whaleman's joys. O, I cruise my old 
cruise again. 
I feel the ship's motion under me — I feel the 
Atlantic breezes fanning me. 
I hear the cry sent down again from the mast-head 

"There she blows" 
Again I spring into the rigging to look with the rest. 

We see. We descend wild with excitement. 
I leap into the lowered boat. We row toward our 

prize — where he lies — 
We approach stealthily and silent — I see the mountain- 
ous mass, lethargic, basking 
I see the harpooner standing up — I see the weapon 
dart from his vigorous arm. 

swift again. Now far out in the ocean, I see the 

wounded whale settling, running to windward, 
tows me. 
Again I see him rise to breathe — we row close again — 

1 see a lance driven through his side, pressed deep, 

turned in the wound. 
Again we back off — I see him settle again — the life is 

leaving him fast. 
As he rises he spouts blood — I see him swim in circles 

narrower and narrower, swiftly cutting the 

water, I see him die. 
He gives one convulsive leap in the center of the circle 

and then falls flat and still in the bloody foam 



70 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

A Long Story- 
Two men passed by my window. One said 
"Whale out in the Bay." The other replied: "Any 
herring in the Harbor.'"' This word "Whale hard by" 
is that spoken by the Pilgrims the first day here. 
Since that time the story of whaling has been a roman- 
tic adventure, all of which we understand, a part of 
which we are. Beginning with whales hard by and 
herring for their appetite, with dead whales washed 
up on the shore so many that the Fathers were willing 
to give one eighth part to the Indians, of voting the 
drift whales for support of the schools and the minister, 
the story of whaling runs out into Massachusetts Bay, 
to the Hatteras Grounds, to the Bay of Mexico, to 
Central America, to the West Coast of Africa, to the 
Pacific Ocean and to the Arctic. 

A Tablet 

A movement is now afoot to erect a tablet to all 
Provincetown whalemen and their Captains. If this 
is done, the tablet will record vessels and men who have 
sailed in all these waters. One hundred and seventy- 
five whalers have registered in Provincetown since 1820. 

For many years before 1620, English, Dutch and 
Norwegians had whaled around Greenland and the 
Arctic. Our men knew this, and, as soon as whales grew 
wary of the shore, they were ready to follow them into 
deep water. 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 71 

From the Boston News Letter in 1727 

"We hear from the towns on the Cape that the 
whale-fishing has failed much among them this winter, 
as it has for several winters past, but having found out 
the way of going to sea upon that business, and having 
had much success in it, they are now fitting out several 
vessels to sail in the spring." 

From the Boston News Letter in 1737 

"A dozen vessels from Cape Cod, some of them of 
a hundred tons burden, are fitting out for Davis Straits 
whaling, so that not more than twelve or fourteen men 
are left at home." 

There cleared from Provincetown in 1820, six 
whalers; in 1869, fifty-four; now not one. 

Price of Oil 

During the Civil War, the price of sperm oil was 
as high as ^2.50 a gallon. Now that petroleum can 
be refined for every purpose, whaling is not profitable. 
However, in 1917, the brig Viola owned by Captain 
John Atkins Cook, brought in 1250 barrels of sperm oil, 
and 121 pounds of ambergris, all valued at ^75,000. 

Life on a Whaler 
Life on a whaler was hard, but when the captain 
and crew were friends and neighbors, as ours were, it 
was not cruel and degrading, as some have pictured it. 
A few old captains are still living, quiet low-spoken men, 
who do not tell all they might tell of whaling. The 



72 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

captain of a whaler must be unafraid. He steers his 
boat within ten feet of the whale for the man with the 
harpoon to strike, and the man with the harpoon must 
never be able to say: "He did not put me near enough 
to the whale." He must be undismayed, whether the 
whale runs or dives or fights, or whether the line around 
the roller blazes up aflame. He must never cut loose 
till the boat is pulled under. He must be a good 
marksman, or he would not have become captain. 
"He missed a whale!" is said as one speaks of a general 
who lost a battle. He must be something of a doctor, 
a dentist, a surgeon; for men get sick with the scurvy 
in the long cruising before they go into port for lemons, 
onions, potatoes, yams, cocoanuts; men are often hurt 
in killing a whale; a broken leg, a bad cut, a shoulder 
out of joint is for the captain's care. 

He must be judge and father to the homesick boys. 
He must be a man of business if he goes into a foreign 
port and ships his oil home. 

The mates have the rough work to do. They must 
keep order aboard ship. If the weeks lengthen into 
months and the men never once hear: "There she 
blows!" from the watch in the cross-trees, they get 
restless and hard to manage. They play high-low- 
jack-and-the-game, till they quarrel over the cards 
and the mate throws overboard every card in sight. 
They read books of all kinds; the Bible, Josephus, 
Latin Grammar, Bowditch's Navigator, and STORIES, 
STORIES, STORIES. In early days every man was 
tattooed and some had their ears pierced for earrings. 
They gossiped about every man, woman and child in 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 73 

town. They told over again all their old yarns. If 
another whaler hove in sight, they went aboard for 
a gam. Perhaps then they got papers and letters from 
home. On fourth of July, they brought out the frosted 
cakes, "sea-cakes," made by the girls at home and 
kept for special occasions. 



Scrimshawing 

With a mahogany log, whale-bone, a lathe and a 
knife they made trinkets of all kinds, elaborately deco- 
rated. They made a tiny ship with masts and all the 
ropes so attached to a thread, that the model could be 
inserted into a small-necked bottle, and the masts and 
the rigging then raised to their places, by pulling the 
thread. They made beautiful spoolers. But those not 
skillful with the knife and the lathe could do scrim- 
shawing. Everybody attempted scrimshawing. Now 
scrimshawing was decorating the whale-bone in colors. 
Using a paper pattern, they traced with a knife, a 
design, and then retraced it with a point dipped in 
India ink, indigo or a dye made from logwood. Whale's 
teeth thus decorated, were simply an ornament for 
the whatnot, but the busks were used as stays for a 
lady's waist. When busks went by for this purpose 
mothers utilized them in disciplining children. ''If 
you are not a good child, I'll busk you." 

The Captain's Wife 

The wife of the captain often went along, and 
many a Cape Cod child was born in mid-ocean, an 



74 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

American, if born under the American flag. Albatross, 
"Trossy," is the beautiful name borne by one woman 
born off Cape of Good Hope, the name given by the 
older children to interpret the story of the stork. The 
captain's wife was a good navigator, with occasion 
sometimes to test her skill. Once upon a time, there 
was a woman who always went to sea with her husband 
(on foreign voyages, not whaling) because the owners 
refused the ship unless she was aboard. On the voyage 
she was the navigator; in port she was the financier. 
When the captain died, she asked the owners for the 
ship, for just one more voyage, with the same mates 
who had been her faithful friends for many voyages. 
The owners declined to send a ship to sea with a woman 
captain, and she, who for years had been the real 
captain of a ship, was compelled thereafter to go out 
sewing for a living. 

Ambergris 

The tedium of whaling would be intolerable, were 
it not for the chance of a fortune which every morning 
brings. Perhaps a whale to-day and before night we 
may be dipping from his head bucketsful of the clear 
case oil. Perhaps to-morrow we shall be cutting in and 
trying out a hundred barrels. Perhaps ambergris. 
Ambergris is found in the intestines of a diseased whale. 
It is a gray, hard, waxy lump as big as your fist, as big 
as a bucket, having about the density of water, for 
sometimes it floats, and sometimes, alas, it sinks. It 
forms a base which retains the fragrant oils used in 
perfumery. It is worth more than its weight in gold. 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 75 

In the Arctic 

Whaling for bone in the Arctic is the latest phase 
of whaling. A captain goes across the continent to 
join his ship in San Francisco, sails for the far North 
in the spring, whales during six weeks of the summer, 
returns to the mouth of an Alaskan river in September, 
roofs over the ship and is frozen in till June, whales 
again the second summer, and unless he has poor luck 
and must stay another year, he returns to San Francisco 
in the fall. He probably receives letters and papers by 
Esquimau sled once each year. During the long dark 
winter the crew hunt and trade with the Esquimaux 
and find them friendly. 

McMillen 

Few of our men now go whaling, but our Jotty 
Small is with our Donald McMillen exploring Baffin's 
Land, and the incipient merchant marine is being 
recruited by our boys, both Yankee and Portuguese. 

Alabama Claims 

Any story of whaling in Provincetown must include 
the Alabama Claims. During the Civil war. Confeder- 
ate cruisers, among them the Alabama, fitted out in 
English ports, made prizes of Provincetown whalers. 
The crew of the whaler were landed in the West Indies, 
and given as compensation for their loss, a Confederate 
bond. Some of these bonds are still in existence. In 
1872, a joint commission, chosen to settle the claims of 



1G THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

the United States against England, made an award of 
315,000,000 to this Government. This money was 
paid by the Government to those who had suffered 
loss. It is wonderful how such losses breed. The 
vessel and fittings, her cargo and the voyage she would 
have made had she not been captured, the wages of 
officers and crew and compound interest on all these 
items for ten years, made those who had escaped 
the Alabama wish that they also had been captured. 

French Claims 

Payment of the Alabama Claims revived the talk 
of the French Spoliation Claims, and the hope that now 
they might change from dreams into money. 

"35,000,000 for unlawful seizures, captures and 
destructions of vessels and cargoes, old General Jack- 
son had forced the French to pay! Compound 
interest for forty years!" But nothing ever came of it. 

The Mason and Slidell Gale 

In the early days of the Civil War, Mason and 
Slidell, special envoys from the Southern Confederacy 
to Great Britain and France, were on their way to 
England in the Treyit, an English mail steamer. Cap- 
tain Charles Wilkes of the United States Sloop-of-war, 
San Jacinto, overhauled the Trent and demanded the 
envoys, who were delivered up to him. He took the 
prisoners into Fortress Monroe and sent word to Wash- 
ington of his exploit. President Lincoln knew, and the 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 11 

people of Cape Cod knew, that the war of 1812 had been 
fought for just this reason, the overhauling of neutral 
ships on the high seas. We knew this and we saw that 
the President was right in ordering the release of the 
prisoners. However, when a United States ship on 
her way to Fort Warren, in Boston Harbor, with the 
prisoners on board, made Provincetown Harbor during 
a fearful storm, the people of the town sought to 
vindicate the President and at the same time make 
way with Mason and Slidell by praying to the Lord 
to sink the ship. That storm is the Mason and Slidell 
Gale. 



Fresh-Fishing 



THE wind is seldom so high, and the cold is rarely 
so intense but the Boston market is served with 
fresh fish. The fresh-fishing vessels are built for 
speed. They make trips of a few days or a few weeks, 
going wherever there are fish, sometimes only a mile 
or two from shore, sometimes a hundred miles southeast 
to George's Bank. A fleet of power-boats and motor- 
dories also comes and goes about the shore. Fresh- 
fishermen are at sea in the pleasant days of summer 
and in the awful days of winter, when they come into 
port, floating icebergs. 

Thus a fisherman described his day's work. 
"Yes we got into trouble in that breeze Sunday. He 
jibed her over and then he jibed her back again too 
quick, and snapped her foremast short off. There was 
the fores'l all in rags, new fores'l too, and the rigging 
going back and forth across the deck, over the dories 
and under the dories, and a block swinging from aloft 
just above the men's heads, (kill'em if it hit 'em) and 
a hell of a sea going. So cold a man could stand watch 
but fifteen minutes. We had twelve thousand of fish 
and lost six of them, and got into Boston all iced up." 

The Clipper 
The story of the evolution of the clipper from the 
clumsy old traps of the early days is a story as wonder- 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 79 

ful as that of the locomotive from the wheelbarrow. 
When we look at the model of the Mayflower^ high out 
of water, bow, stern and amidship, we are not sur- 
prised that she was sixty-seven days crossing the 
Atlantic. The wonder is that she crossed at all. 

The first vessels and small boats made by the 
Pilgrims for use along the shore, seem to have been 
built on the lines of these old caravels, unmanageable 
in bad weather, and hard to steer against the wind. 
Their first attempts at fishing, also, were not successful, 
though they tried it at Plymouth, at Weymouth, at 
Cape Ann and elsewhere. Edward Winslow wrote: 
"Though our bays and creeks are full of bass and other 
fish, yet for want of fit and strong seines and other 
netting, they for the most part break through and 
carry all before them." 

They quickly saw, however, the advantage of the 
light canoes of the Indians, and they began to experi- 
meirh — They made a boat with masts without stays, 
and with square sails that must be lowered in order to 
tack. They made the pinkie, the lugger, the dog-body, 
the ketch, the cod-head-and-mackerel-tail, the heel- 
tapper, the jigger and the schooner, till there has been 
developed a type, safe, swift and beautiful, a craft 
that spreads twelve hundred yards of duck and that 
sails within three points of the wind in all weathers. 

We no longer hear dreadful stories of a vessel 
on her beam ends and the crew in the rigging frozen 
with horror while they wait for her to right, or of a 
vessel bottom up with the remnant of the crew clinging 
to the bottom, drifting, starving, dropping into the sea. 



80 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

Seldom now a vessel sails and is not heard of 
till the men along the shore begin to say, "She 
is overdue," and later, "The owners are getting anx- 
ious," and at last, "The Lloyds have given her up." 
Then a funeral sermon Is preached for the men on 
board the vessel never reported. Once a minister with 
such a service, said: "Their bodies are in the deep 
and their souls are doubtless in hell." The widow of 
the captain and mother of the two sons who were 
the captain's mates, sat in the front pew and listened 
to the funeral sermon for her husband and her sons. 
Her head under her black crepe veil sank lower and 
lower as she listened. The neighbors helped her walk 
from the meeting-house, home. The women took off 
her black crepe veil and her black dress and put her 
to bed, from which she never again raised her head. 

The minister said that he had done his duty. 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 



The Lipton Cup 

We are proud of the trophy displayed hi Town 
Hall, won in the Fishermen's race, 1907. 



The Inscription on the Cup: 

Won by Sch. 

Rose Dorothea 

Capt. Marion Perry 

Aug. 1, 1907 

Presented by 

Sir Thomas Lipton, K. C. V. O. 

Boston Old Home Week 

1907. 



Allied Industries 

Boat Building 

WHEN white oak grew on the hills, large vessels 
wefe-bml^t-orrThe^hore, small boats also, a 
hundred and fifty of them in 1845. A boat- 
shop is an attractive place. The piles of clean lumber, 
the wide doors open to the harbor, the neighbors with 
the news make it a good place to loaf in. If, however, 
one does not belong to the clan, it is difficult for him 
to find conversation in the shop, or even to discover 
the shop itself, tucked away behind other buildings on 
the shore. For the initiated there are shrewd judg- 
ments of people and events. A pretty and stylish 
young girl of a petered-out family passed by. One 
man, scanning the horizon, said: "Rigged like a yacht." 
Another, studying an imaginary Arithmetic, "Naught 
from naught and naught remains." 

Life Boats 

In these boat-shops are built the Government 
life-boats. When the Life Saving Service was first 
established, the Government furnished all the stations 
with flat-bottomed boats, such as were used on the 
New Jersey coast. These our men could not use on 



84 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

this shore. At the wreck of the Annie J. Fort the 
life-crew at Peaked Hill Bars tried in vain, all day 
long, to launch the Government life-boat. When they 
were exhausted, Captain Isaac Mayo, a spectator on 
the shore, sent into town for a whale-boat, and called 
for a volunteer crew. The boat was carted across the 
beach and manned by a fresh crew. They knew a 
whale-boat. They knew that a boat, with a keel, 
narrow, sharp at both ends, and deep, could be launched 
through the breakers and could be safely beached on 
its return. They watched their chance, they ran her 
off beyond the breakers, they saved the men on the 
wreck. A picture of this crew launching their boat 
hangs in the Public Library. Afterthis-experience the 
GovernmeiiF had the boats for the Cape Cod service 
built on Cape Cod, by Cape Cod men. They are a 
little smaller than a whale-boat, and they have air-tight 
compartments. For a long time they were built by 
William W. Smith, who prided himself that boats put 
on the stocks Monday morning were finished Saturday 
night. 

Sail-lofts 
Where there are vessels there must be sail-lofts. 
A sail-loft is also an attractive place, with a wide, clean 
floor, and rolls of white duck, and coils of new rope. 
He is a skilled draftsman who cuts a suit of sails that 
fit perfectly, and he is clever with a palm who sews 
them. The vessel going out of the harbor with new 
sails that "draw" is the butt of the watching connois- 
seurs on the shore. To say of any person: "I don't 
like the cut of his jib," is to express suspicion. 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 85 

Spar-yards 

There must be a spar-yard with its odorous floor 
of pine chips. Long before Bell and the telephone, 
Cape Cod children knew that the scratching of a pin 
at one end of a sixty-foot stick could be heard by an 
ear held close to the other end of the spar. Where 
there are vessels there must be block-makers, with 
a log of lingum vitae at the door; there must be 
calkers with their ringing mallets; and riggers with 
knives in their belts; and painters, for no self-respecting 
crew would ship in a dinghy, and no high-liner of a 
capt'n would put to sea in a vessel that did not look 
shipshape. 

Uncle Disher 

Where there are vessels there must be a black- 
smith's forge, not often busy with horses to be shod, 
but always red with iron-work for the vessels. This is 
the story they tell in the Blacksmith's Shop: 

Once upon a time, Uncle Disher thought he would 
make an anchor. Now Uncle Disher was not very 
bright, but he put the iron in the fire and he heated it 
red-hot and he put it on the anvil and he pounded and 
he pounded and he pounded, but when he got it done, 
it was too small for an anchor. So Uncle Disher 
thought he would make a horse-shoe. He put the 
iron in the fire and he heated it red-hot and he put it 
on the anvil and he pounded and he pounded and he 
pounded and when he got it done, it was too small for 



86 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

a horse-shoe. So Uncle Disher thought he would make 
a nail. He put the iron in the fire and he heated it 
red-hot and he put it on the anvil and he pounded and 
he pounded and he pounded, and when he got it done, 
it was too small for a nail. So Uncle Disher said he 
would put it into the water and make a tiss. This is 
the story told to the ambitious with the warning, 
"Look out now that you don't make a tiss." 

Up the Railway 

Where there are vessels there must be marine 
railways where vessels are hauled out for repairs. At 
high water the cradle was slid under the waiting vessel; 
a pair of stout horses walked rou-nd and round the 
capstan in the railway house (with a notch cut in the 
roof for the vessel's boom), and they pulled the vessel 
up the ways. There the calkers calked her, and if 
she was going to southern waters, they coppered her, 
and the painters painted her and they made her tight. 
Children always loved to watch a vessel come up and 
to see Lion and Tiger walk round and round the 
capstan, waiting for the time when Lion and Tiger 
should get dizzy and fall down, as the big boys said 
they would some day. But Lion and Tiger never did 
fall down. The best place to go old-junking was under 
the railway, after a vessel had been coppered. 

Cod Liver Oil 

On every wharf in town were try-works, an iron 
kettle containing three barrels, on a brick foundation, 
where fish livers were tried out for oil. Dog-fish livers 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 



87 



yielded a crude oil for tanning and making rope. 
Fresh cod livers, ovei a slow fire, stirred constantly 
lest they burn, yielded the medicinal Cod Liver Oil. 
In 1848, Mr. Joseph Burnett, an apothecary of Boston, 
induced Mr. Nathaniel Atwood to fit his vessel with 
the necessary equipment and go to Labrador and there 
catch the cod and try out the livers on board. Later, 
perhaps encouraged by his friend and teacher Prof. 
Agassiz, Mr. Atwood did an extensive business in his 
shop here, both manufacturing and bottling the oil. 
This work is still done in little kettles along the shore, 
but the emulsions on the market have lessened the 
demand for pure oil. Time was when a barrel of oil 
made four hundred bottles, and a bottle sold for half 
a dollar. 




Blackfish Oil 

The finest lubricating oil, used on certain bearings 
of United States battleships and lighthouses, used on 
expensive watches and clocks, is refined from black- 
fish head oil. This fine oil is extracted from a quantity 



88 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

which has been subjected to intense cold and has 
congealed to look like lard. From this frozen mass is 
pressed a small amount of oil that will not chill. This 
process takes two years. 

The blackfish are small whales, five to thirty feet 
long, which swim in schools of hundreds. Following 
the herring or the squid, they come close in, and some- 
times run ashore on the beach. If they remain 
sporting about in the bay, a noisy crew in a boat can 
drive them to their destruction. In the head is the 
melon, I suppose the brains, from which this finest oil 
is made. Schools of five hundred, of two thousand, have 
been taken along the Cape Shore. Marshal Foch, on 
his tour of the United States, was presented with a 
watch by the Boston Post. With the watch was a tiny 
bottle of oil made by Mr. David StuU of our town, the 
same David Stull who is the "Ambergris King." 

Besides the fishing, large enough to be dignified 
by the name of business, there are incidental dollars 
to be gathered from the sea. Any bo)'' can make a 
lobster-pot, and with care he can catch a few lobsters; 
men, women and children go clamming at fifty cents 
a bucket. Flounders, once fed to the pigs, are the 
delicious flatfish, and they are salable; pollock, despised 
pollock, are the famous Boston blues; whiting, which 
the town used to bury on the shore, are the delicate 
silver perch; when squid strike they can be almost 
dipped up at ten cents a bucket; and the Picketts 
buy small mackerel for canning. In the old days when 
in order to get the bounty, a man must go fishing 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 89 

forty weeks in the year, whether there were fish or 
not, he could always go bounty catching. 

Knitting Net 

At the kitchen window of every home and in 
every back-shop hung a net. All members of the 
family and all loafers in the back-shop were expected 
to knit on the net, so that it grew continually. Chil- 
dren too young to knit (and a child was too young 
till he could knit without making a slip-knot) filled 
needles. The size of the lease, around which the 
twine was thrown, determined the size of the mesh, 
and whether the net was to be for spurling, for herring, 
for mackerel or for bluefish. Four or five cents a yard 
was the standard price for knitting; a fast knitter 
could do a yard an hour; some knitters could knit and 
read. The nets were seventy-five yards long and 
eighty meshes deep. That, with the corks on one side 
and the leads on the other, made a net worth about 
fifteen dollars. Hundreds of nets were made every 
winter. In due time a machine was invented for 
knitting nets. Everybody in town took stock in the 
new knitting company in Boston, and it proved very 
profitable. One condition of the stock was that the 
company should have first chance to buy any stock 
sold, and that when a stock-holder should die, his 
stock could be bought in by the company. Thus the 
whole of this valuable property has gone into the 
possession of the company, now the American Net and 
Twine Company, and of the Linen Thread Company of 



90 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

England. Many people in town know how to knit 
net, and in many an attic are needles and a lease. 

Oil Clothes 

In the days before sewing machines, the fishermen's 
oil clothes were made by the outfitters. They bought 
the cloth, cut the pants, the jacket and the barvel, and 
put them out for women to sew in their homes. When 
the clothes were sewed, they were covered with linseed 
oil, two or three coats, put on with a paint brush. 
Rows of these stiff figures hung singly and with arms 
extended from fear of combustion, swinging gently 
in the dim store-loft, were a harrowing sight to a little 
girl. 

The Whale Show 

Far more forceful than the hard-worked word 
efficiency is the English gumption. It was real gumption 
that prompted two captains to take a whale to New 
York on exhibition. Anyone with a mathematical 
turn of mind, knowing how much odor arises from one 
pound of decaying meat, could calculate how great an 
odor would arise from a seventy-ton whale, how much 
disinfectant would be a daily necessity, and how long 
a board of health would tolerate a dead whale in the 
dock. How many people would pay half a dollar to 
see a whale, must be, for the wisest, a guess. The 
canny captains had taken all these things into consider- 
ation, and they calculated rightly that a whale on 
exhibition in New York would be a good thing — how 
good nobody but them ever knew. 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 91 

Afterward a whale was put on a specially construct- 
ed flat car by a Chicago syndicate and was exhibited 
in western cities. A lecturer went with this show, and 
the lecturer says that he told a good story and that he 
had a good time. 

No one has yet invented a successful tide-mill, 
though many have tried. 

The Cold Storage Plants 

At times in the summer, the harbor is alive with 
squid, excellent for bait. At other times there are no 
squid. Then the fishermen are clamoring for fresh 
bait. So many whiting swim the harbor that the 
dead fish thrown overboard by the fishing boats become 
a nuisance on the shore. These delicate silver perch, 
unlike larger and firmer fish, can not be sent to market 
simply packed in ice. With these facts in mind, Mr. 
D. F. Small, in 1892, built a "freezer." Experience has 
proved that fish bite eagerly at the freezer's bait and 
that food fish, if put fresh into the freezer, can not be 
distinguished from fish newly caught. Since Mr. 
Small's venture, five other freezers have been built at 
the average cost of 3100,000. These plants are served 
by traps in the harbor. They take fish when fish are 
plenty in the summer and sell, mostly in the West, 
when fish in the winter are scarce. A circulation of 
ammonia and brine reduces the temperature to zero 
and keeps it there day and night for months. The 
fish are shipped in refrigerator cars and reach market 
in excellent condition. 



The Coast Guard 

THE Coast Guard was organized by the United 
States Government in 1872. It was called at 
first the Life-Saving Service. No shore more 
dangerous than the shore of Cape Cod faces the Atlantic 
Ocean. It has been well called the "Graveyard of 
Ships." Hundreds of wrecks are scattered on the bottom 
from Long Point to Monomoy. From 1907 to 1917 
there were a hundred and fifty-six wrecks on the 
Backside. Few early charts were reliable. The shift" 
ing bars compel yearly a new survey and a new chart. 
The first lighthouse, that at the Highland, 
was built in 1797, Race Point in 1816, Long 
Point in 1826, Wood End in 1873. Each year now 
sees fewer disasters. Improvements in the charts and 
in the lights, in the fog-bells and horns, better 
appliances for rescue, entrance examinations, and regu" 
lar drill for the men, and a pension for the men retiring, 
better models in building vessels, use of power against 
the wind, the Canal, all combine to defeat the hungry 
sea and the treacherous sand. 

Wrecks 
Nevertheless, every winter has its wreck. The 
horror of those who stand and see it marks the date 
more sharply than do the figures of the calendar. 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 93 

"My son was born the day the Caledonia came ashore, 
the first day of Janurry, 1863." The Caledonia was 
an English ship with broadcloth, linen, cotton cloth 
and thread, which next morning were washing in the 
tide. The last of that cargo is scarcely used up now. 
The Italian bark Giovanni with wine, white grapes, 
nuts and raisins will be recalled when 1872 has little 
significance. 

Men on the shore stand helpless as they see a 
ship break in pieces on the bar, and dead men washed 
up with the flotsam and jetsam. They see the men on 
the wreck launch a boat and they shudder as it over- 
turns in the breakers, just beyond their reach. They 
see men drop one by one from the rigging. They 
calculate the chances of a man swimming on a plank. 
They find the frozen body of one who reached the 
shore in the darkness and then wandered about till 
he died. Scenes like this fix the years for the life- 
savers. 

Wreckers 

In the early days, wrecking companies were or- 
ganized to save ship, cargo and men. They had ready 
boats, oars and sails, cables and anchors, ropes, 
barrels, tackles, crowbars and axes, life-preservers, 
bandages, medicines, stimulants, dry clothes, dry wood 
and matches, everything needed. At news of a wreck 
they were early on the scene, prepared to help and 
not afraid to try. The story is told of how a company 
of wreckers floated a vessel at high tide and at dark 
in a howling southeast snowstorm. What then.'' 



94 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

She would ground again on the ebb, the wind was 
ahead to take her into the harbor but fair for Boston. 
Therefore, "To Boston we go. It will not take long 
to get there in this breeze. Nobody else will be out 
to-night, so we shall have a clear road. She will 
likely keep afloat till morning." Two men took the 
leaking old craft to Boston and she was beside the 
wharf before daylight. Word was sent to the waiting 
wife in town, "Don't you worry about Joshua. He 
has gone to Boston on the wreck. We think it will 
moderate, bye-and-bye." Gone to Boston on a wreck! 

The Humane Society 

More than a hundred years ago, the Humane 
Society built on the beach huts for shelter. In 1802, 
Rev. James Freeman wrote a pamphlet on the work of 
the Humane Society and located the huts. He de- 
scribes them as a rude charity house with fireplace, 
wood and matches and a signal pole. Which things, 
public-spirited citizens promised to keep supplied. 

The Seamen's Aid Society 

The Seamen's Aid Society for the care of ship- 
wrecked sailors was organized in 1882, with a dollar 
a year membership and an annual public meeting. At 
one of these public meetings, Mr. James Gifford read 
a detailed account of the wreck on the Backside of 
three East India ships from Salem, owned by the 
Crowninshields, the Volusia, the Ulysses, the Brutus, 
February 22, 1802. The Commonwealth has now 
made provision that the towns shall furnish money 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 95 

to shipwrecked persons and be reimbursed by the 
State. Therefore the treasury of the Seamen's Aid 
Society, about two thousand dollars, has been given 
to the Helping Hand, and the Seamen's Aid is dis- 
banded. 

Mooncussing 

Since the Lloyds now have representatives in every 
town, the romantic days of "mooncussing" are done. 
How much was snatched from the maw of the sea and 
made useful will never be known, because only the 
audacious and the funny stories are told. To get 
ahead of Eben Smith, the underwriters' agent, was a 
laudable ambition, and to outwit another beach- 
comber was worth while. Once upon a time a man stood 
in the evening on the beach where during the day a 
vessel had gone to pieces. A rope washed up at his 
feet and he hauled it in and threw it behind him as he 
hauled. When he came to the end of the rope and 
turned to coil it, there was in his hand a piece only 
ten feet long. Somebody behind him in the darkness 
had coiled the rope as he hauled, and had cut it and 
disappeared. 

The Life-saving Service on Cape Cod 

This was established in 1874. Positions in the 
service are eagerly sought, for the men feel that life- 
saving is as much better than going to sea, as the 
life-savers in a storm are better off than the men on 
the wreck. Patrol along the beach in a northeast gale 
would be impossible for most people. Sometimes the 



96 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 



cutting wind and sand compel men to crawl on their 
hands and knees. But these men are young and 
strong, they are dressed for the weather, they know 
the beach, and they leave the station dry and warm. 
A vessel ashore in a bad time, however, taxes even 
their vitality. But there are many days of leisure 
and of comfort. One of their number goes into town 
every day to market and for the mail. More books 
than they can read are sent them. More visitors than 
they can entertain come to see them. They take 
turns at cooking, they keep hens and set lobster-pots, 
they build boats and braid rugs and have a pension 
bye-and-bye. 

This is true of the lighthouse keepers also. A 
man is in luck when he is appointed keeper of the light. 




The Wreck of the Somerset 



The Portuguese 

Our Neighbors 

ALF the town is Portuguese. There is no race 
prejudice, but only friendly co-operation 
between Portuguese people and others. They 
themselves make distinctions according to the island 
from which they come. Others judge them as they 
judge all, by their worth. Some of the brightest 
pupils in the schools, some of the most esteemed 
citizens are Portuguese. This attitude of democratic 
good will was illustrated in the tercentenary parade, 
1920. The signing of the Compact, the Mayflower, 
John Alden, Priscilla and the spinning-wheel, and all 
the Pilgrim band were portrayed by their descendants. 
The artists supplied the Indians, the pirates, and other 
picturesque adjuncts. There was no more significant 
group than the Portuguese with their fishing gear and 
the motto — 

"Our Saviour fed the Multitude 
Two thousand years ago. 
We are Fishermen." 

At their head marched a man descended by seven 
lines from Mayflower passengers. 



98 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

The First Portuguese 

Most of the Portuguese came on the whalers from 
Cape de Verde Islands. The first Portuguese, however, 
was Manuel Caton from Lisbon. When a boy he ran 
away from home to sea. The ship was captured by 
pirates and every man compelled to walk the plank. 
The boy was saved as a useful slavey. For a long 
time they cruised the Atlantic Ocean, and took many 
prizes. 

At last the captain of the pirate ship fell sick' and 
was near to death. Then the crew put the captain and 
young Caton into a boat and set them ashore on the 
Backside, and said to Caton: "Go into the town and 
tell the people that there is a man out here very sick." 
This he did. The captain was carried into town and 
nursed back to health. When he was well again, he 
said to Manuel: "The next time the packet goes to 
Boston we will go in her. I know where to pick the 
ship." But the young man said "no," that he liked 
the people and he liked the town and he did not like 
a pirate ship. Though the captain threatened ven- 
geance if he stayed and if he told, he remained, married 
and lived to be an old man, always gentle, courteous 
and respected. 



A Bit of Geography 

Washing Up 

GEOLOGISTS agree that High Head m Truro 
marks the original end of the Cape, and that 
all the land north of that point is a series of 
sand beaches built by the winds and the tides, each 
farther north than the last. At first they were narrow 
spits of sand just above the water. They increased 
year by year till they became wide enough and high 
enough to support vegetation. This process of building 
can be roughly traced even now. Off Peaked Hill, 
a vessel taking a familiar course may be caught on a 
bar newly made-off. Long ago Race Run was tide 
water from Race Point to Nigger Head, seventy-five 
years ago a bridge spanned the Run, fifty years ago 
the Run could be crossed afoot only at low tide, the 
State Road now lies where the tide once ebbed and 
flowed. Mill Creek at the West End is filling rapidly 
now that the breakwater shuts it off from the harbor. 
No longer boys and girls row "up crick" on the flood 
and drift back again on the ebb tide. Fresh Water 
Mill Pond and Salt Water Mill Pond fed by the Mill 
Creek have entirely disappeared, and Johnny Smith's 
Pond near the west end of the sidewalk is gone. Shank 
Painter Pond extended a mile west of the Meeting 



100 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

House, and the Meeting House was near the old 
cemetery. Strout's creek is constantly mentioned in 
old records. It probably ran up into the hills from 
East Harbor, but there has been no trace of it for a 
hundred years. Lobster Plain on Long Point was 
almost an inland sea. Now it is difficult to find the 
Lobster Plain. 

Washing Out 

On the other hand, some land is disappearing. 
House Point, an island at the west end of the harbor 
has been washed away in our day, and an island called 
Hog Island at the east end of the harbor was once 
used for pasturing sheep. There are coverlets in town 
made of wool raised by the young brides who also 
spun and wove the cloth. Strangers approaching the 
low-lying shore for the first time exclaim: "How does 
anybody dare to live there!" People unaccustomed 
to a tide, inquire if it surely will stop at the high-water 
mark and go back again. Statistical friends calculate 
how long it will be before the whole end of the Cape 
will be washed away. We still live, although in 1851, 
during the storm that destroyed Minot's Ledge Light, 
the ocean really did break through at East Harbor. 
That fact probably hastened the building by the 
Commonwealth of the dyke at the East End, in 1869, 
and of the breakwater at the West End by the Federal 
Government in 1911. 

Thus we live, as we always have lived, flung up 
by the sea, fighting the sea, fed by the sea. 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 101 

The Harbor 

All who see it are impressed with the extent of the 
harbor "wherein a thousand ships might ride"; with 
the safety of this land-locked haven, without a rock, a 
shoal or a current; with its ever-changing beauty, the 
dispair of the artists. 

The harbor is the background of our whole life. 
The first duty of the morning is to learn which way 
the wind is, from the best weather-vane in the world, 
a vessel at anchor. On the way of the wind, and on 
the indispensable knowledge of the time of high tide, 
on these two hang all the work and play of the day. 

Our Playground 

It is a playground. Our boys can not remember 
when they learned to swim and to handle a boat. 
They scorn amateur seamanship, especially if they see 
it in Uncle Sam's sailors. Town and gown. Many of 
these sailors are western boys attracted to the navy 
by the romance of the sea, who never saw salt water 
until they enlisted. One of these youths in uniform 
was trying to put a boat alongside the wharf, while 
his critics stood grinning above him. One boy voiced 
the thought of the gang: "Straddle your legs apart, 
mister, or you will be overboard." This to a lieuten- 
ant! Boys stand up in a boat and scull rather than 
row, and they row, not with the long sweep of the 
racer, but with the short stroke of the man who rows 
in all weathers. Somebody, on a summer morning, home 
again, home again, after a year, loosed a man's dory, 



102 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

found the oars hidden according to custom under the 
fish-house, and was almost out of sight when she was 
discovered by the owner, who said "That woman is 
no summer visitor. She learned to row in this dock. 
She is one of three girls, and I bet I know which one." 

Our School 

Uncle Sam's Ships, the incarnation of power, lie 
off there and beckon to the boys. "Aboard the 
Ranger," is said by some of them with the same air 
with which Bostonians say, "At the University." Thus, 
one young man tells what the harbor and the lifelong 
use of boats did for him. "'Board the transport was a 
lot of them Annapolis fellers. They was all right in 
good weather, but come a bad time and I see 'em 
faint away and fall down dead, with seasick, lot of 
'em. We had one old he of a storm about half way 
across, and them fellers kept her agoing just as if 
'twas fair weather. Never eased her up a bit. They 
got her down in the trough of the sea and I think she 
roll over sure. I take my cap in my hand and I go 
to the Capt'n (I don't know but he heave me over- 
board) and I say, 'Capt'n, I know how to steer a 
ship.* 

'Who are you.^' he say. 

'Portugee from Provincetown.' 

'Any more of you ?' 

'Five fellers.' 

'Go get them and come here.' 
When we get across, I get my promote." 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 103 
Our Resource 

Our harbor Is the road over which young men set 
out to make their way. In it is our livelihood. A 
little boy starts with a lobster-pot or a bucket of 
clams. The old man who can still pull a dory feels 
that he can make his living. If a young man thinks 
he will be a farmer, and goes West to try farming, 
within a year he is a surveyor, a land agent, an employee 
in the bank. He wanders to the ends of the earth, but 
is always at some work that appeals to a rover, a trader, 
a captain. 

The harbor is not often the scene of a tragedy; 
few people are drowned, few vessels are wrecked. 

To those bred on these shores and transplanted to 
the country, the fields seem monotonous, and the 
mountains oppressive. Forever they miss the con- 
tinual changes of the tide and the wide horizon of the 
sky, even until — 

"That which drew from out the vasty deep 
Turns again home." 

Mr. Myrick C. Atwood, deputy collector for the 
port, estimates that in 1890 the number of vessels 
seeking this port was 4,000, and the value of their 
merchandise was 340,000,000. 

The Hills 

Two ranges of hills in parallel lines sweep round 
the circle of the harbor. The hills near the harbor 
side are Zion's, Gull, Telegraph, Chip, Lothrop's, High 



104 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

Pole, Miller's, Mount GUboa and Mount Ararat. The 
significance of these names is apparent, except that of 
Chip Hill, which was hardened v/ith chips from Mr. 
Nathaniel Hopkins' spar-yard. Miller's was perhaps, 
long ago, the hill of the miller. The hill was owned, so 
Mr. Heman Cook says, by several families of Cook, 
who, like the kings of England in the days of the early 
explorations, owned America because they had driven 
down stakes. Mr. Cook's father bought the hill for 
two quintals of pollock and had the deed thus recorded. 
It was Miller's Hill then, but nobody knows now why. 
These hills are covered by vegetation. As Captain 
John Smith said, with hurts and such trash. The 
trustees of the Public Reservations of the State of 
Massachusetts, 1892, say of them that a surprisingly 
beautiful vegetation adorns them and that they support 
a charming growth of tupelo, sweet azalia, clethra and 
the like; that in the shelter of their ridges and even 
upon their crests grow oaks, maples, beeches and 
pitch pines. 

Cranberries 

In the valleys between the hills are small cultivated 
cranberry bogs; sanded, as all cranberry bogs must be, 
here by the action of the wind; watered, as all cran- 
berry bogs are, here by the high-couse tides pressing 
up from beneath. These little bogs are not picked, as 
are the big corporation bogs up the Cape, by hired and 
often imported pickers. Cranberry picking here is a 
pleasant picnic in the October days after the beach 
plums are gone. Nothing carries more sentiment for 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 105 

Cape Cod people than the cranberry. A young woman 
in the streets of New York, battered and old, looked 
into the window of a shop and saw cranberries. Cran- 
berries meant to her Thanksgiving Day, father and 
mother, and home on Cape Cod, and they wrought in 
her what admonition and experience could not do. 

Swamp Gardens 
Between the hills are also swamp gardens which 
yield delicious vegetables. The Indians taught the 
forefathers to put a fish in every hill of corn; the 
Portuguese showed us that sea-weed makes plants 
grow, though perhaps they did not explain that sea- 
weed supplies the nitrates. Near the houses in the 
town, little gardens of flowers and vegetables prosper, 
if one waters his garden every day. But water every 
day he must, for the sandy soil is like a sieve and the 
water runs off and the soil is dry in half an hour after 
a shower. Every vessel which comes in ballast has 
a chance to sell the ballast to some one hardening his 
lot. Sods are cut from the hills for the same purpose, 
And so, with fish and sea-weed, a little soil and plenty 
of water, flowers and vegetables and small fruits 
flourish beyond belief. 

Prince Peter Kropotkin, in his Fields, Factories and 
Workshops, points out the end of Cape Cod as an illus- 
tration of what can be done on sandy soil. How did 
he ever hear of us, I wonder. 

The Moving Hills 
The hills covered with growing things near the 
town are probably older than the bare hills beyond 



106 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

them — hills the artists call dunes and the natives think 
of as the second sand hills. The changes wrought on 
the shore by the wind and tide we view with accustomed 
eyes, but who could look without wonder and see a 
hill as it obeys the command of the wind: "Go hence 
and stand in another place." Here a single winter's 
gales remove a hill and pile it elsewhere, and the 
whirling sand covers well-grown trees, and, years after, 
uncovers them. 

The Artists, Wind and Sand 

The tales told of clear glass converted into ground 
glass by the sand are true. One of the crew at Peaked 
Hill wanted a panel with a conventionalized figure for 
his front door in town. He cut a paper pattern, pasted 
it on the pane of glass, and put it out of doors during 
a northeast wind. The next day the stencilling was 
perfectly done by artists Wind and Sand. Wind and 
Sand have acted also as curators of a museum. On 
November 3, 1778, the British frigate Somerset, Cap- 
tain Bellamy, chased by a French cruiser, went ashore 
on Peaked Hill Bars. This was the same Somerset 
told of in Paul Revere^ s Ride, which covered the advance 
of the British up Bunker Hill. She caught on the 
outer bar. When they cut away her masts and threw 
overboard her guns, she came over the bar and up on 
the beach. Everybody for miles around rejoiced to 
see the Somerset cast away, and everybody hastened 
to strip her. But her oak and her iron defied even 
the fire. The sand, after a while, covered the wreck 
and the place where she lay was forgotten. In 1886, 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 107 

after a succession of northeast gales and spring tides, 
the old hulk appeared. She was easily identified by 
her model, her port-holes, her six-inch oak plank. As 
they did a hundred years before, so again people used 
fire and gunpowder against her. But each flood tide 
undid the work done on the ebb, and after a few months 
the sand covered her once more, and there she lies, 
under twenty feet of sand, and well above the high- 
water mark. 

The Ponds 

The whole length of Cape Cod and Plymouth 
County also is dotted with ponds. There are more 
than three hundred in Barnstable County. Beginning 
with Shank Painter Pond nearest the tip end, they 
nestle unseen among the hills all along the Cape, 
suggesting in their beauty the Lake District of Eng- 
land. They are sparkling, and bright to taste, rem- 
iniscent of the time when they too were a part of old 
ocean, but they retain not enough salts to be brackish. 
Pickerel swim and pond lilies bloom there, though the 
swampy margins render it difficult to get either the 
fish or the flowers. 

Drinking Water 

At first the town was supplied with water by the 
rain caught in cisterns. Then tubular driven wells 
were used. The sand is so light and the water is so 
near the surface that the wells can be driven in any 
place and almost by hand. The water comes up abun- 
dant, clear and pure. Even when wells are sunk just 



108 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

above the high-water mark, where the tide often covers 
them, the water is fresh and good. The town water 
now piped into the houses comes from Truro. The 
State's analysis shows it to be almost absolutely pure. 
Provincetown, crowded as it is, has no epidemics from 
contaminated water, for the sand is a perfect filter. 

Anchoring the Hills 

Just as some have feared that the ocean might 
engulf the town, so there have been apprehensions 
lest the drifting sand bury it, and destroy the harbor. 
The Commonwealth has, from time to time, done 
something to prevent such a disaster. Since 1892, the 
boundary between the town and the province lands 
has been distinctly marked by the State, and the work 
of staying the hills has been systematically and in- 
telligently done. Mr. Frank Chase, Resident Com- 
missioner of the Province Lands for the Commonwealth 
of Massachusetts, from his valuable experience and 
experiments of twenty years, supplies the following 
facts. Beach grass was first transplanted. Its tough 
roots, yards long and near the surface formed a close 
net. Much of this grass lived only four or five years, 
though beach grass, springing up from seed, lives 
forever. Scotch broom was suggested and tried. Its 
stiff foliage with spikes of yellow flowers adorns many 
spots along the roads. Buckwheat was also attempted 
but without perfectly satisfactory results. The next 
experiment was with the native pine, a stunted and 
slow growth. Soft pines from other parts of Massa- 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 109 

chusetts, instead of growing to be tall and stately 
trees, simply sprawled out, so that we could not be 
proud of them. The Austrian pines, the seeds of 
which were sent from Austria, are now growing so 
well that the Commonwealth anticipates a revenue, 
before many years, from thinning and cutting these 
Austrian pines. Swedish and Norway pines are grow- 
ing vigorous and shapely. Bayberries are easily 
transplanted and are useful in holding the sand. The 
most effective method, however, is the one most akin 
to Nature's. Green boughs cut from the pines and 
spread on the ground keep the sand from moving, and 
catch the seeds of beach grass blowing about. In 
two years a bare hill thus protected becomes green 
and in five years the sand is completely hidden. In 
1921, the Commonwealth planted 65,000 pines, trans- 
planted seven acres of bayberries, and "brushed" forty 
acres of sand hills. A million more Austrian pines, 
started in the State Nursery, will be set out on the 
hills. These methods and results have been inspected 
and approved by authorities in Washington. Rep- 
resentatives of the Pennsylvania Railroad and gentle- 
men from Wisconsin have investigated the work and 
they all report that what they find here is most helpful 
in their problems with sand. 

An extension of the State Road is projected. The 
road would run from its present terminus near the 
Race Point Coast Guard Station, two or three miles 
along the old Race Run, and in the hollow of the 
hills to connect with the Creek Road and so with the 
Front Street at the West End. 



110 




SAND DUNES. 

by John R. Moreland. 

What is your age, O Dunes, 

And what ancient secrets 

Are thrust deep in your yellow bosom? 

The wind knows — 

I have seen him 

Whisper to you 

And caress you. 

And in his great anger 

Smite you. 

At noon your breath 
Is hot as amber blaze, 
And your topaz glow 
Is brighter than the flash 
Of a golden scimeter. 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 111 

But at night 

When the moon 

Pours upon you 

A sea of light 

You are luminous, alluring 

And beautiful. 

A Cleopatra in gold and black 
Drawing me to your 
Rounded breasts. 



Provincetown Weather 

WHEN September comes, "it begins to thin 
out." Excursionists, writers-up, people of 
whom one old skipper with a big family of 
non-resident grandchildren, said: "Summer boarders 
and some're not," promenaders looking for natives, 
bathers on the shore, ships and sailors, auto-busses 
and motor-boats, antiques and curios, tea-rooms, art 
students — all thin out and the real town appears — a 
town which looks at residences, cars, the style, the 
crowd, and is not astonished nor anxious — a town 
where the schools, the churches, the lodges, the clubs 
prosper, because the town gives thought to their 
prosperity — a town where the sick, the poor, the 
outcasts are cared for, because the town cares — an 
intelligent and a friendly town. 

They go who have made the summer delightful 
by incidents like this. One of the natives, a D.D., a 
thirty-third degree Mason, Grand Chaplain of the 
State, with his daughter, a teacher of Mathematics in 
college, went quahauging. Now the quahauging trip 
is one hitch harder than clamming. There is no doubt 
that as they rested on the breakwater, in clothes 
suitable to the occasion, with the bucket of quahaugs 
and the rake, they looked as if they had been washed 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 113 

up by the tide. They had enjoyed the morning on 
the flats, but the real joy of the day came in the con- 
versation with a summer visitor. 

"Have you been gathering shell-fish, my good 
people.'"' 

"Yes, ma'am." 

"They will make you a nice dinner." 

"Yes, ma'am." 

That same day a moving-picture man asked them 
to pose, that he might get a little local color. So now 
we are in the movies. 

The summer visitor waves a blithe good-bye to 
the proprietor of a little store, "You folks are all right, 
but you need to get out and see the world. Come to 
New York this winter and let me show you around." 
The proprietor of the little store thanks him, but does 
not mention that New York has been his home port 
for twenty-five years, from which he sailed to every 
port from Hong Kong to Liverpool. 

These go and then comes the most delightful 
time of the year. The spring is chilly with fog and 
east wind, but the fall often keeps mild and bright 
up to Christmas. This is the time for tramping the 
hills, red in oak, ivy, cranberry, and woodbine, with 
a band of yellow sand all about them, and a rim of 
blue water always beyond. 

Thoreau enjoyed our hills in autumn and says 
that he never saw an autumnal landscape so beauti- 
fully painted, that it looked like a rich rug over an 
uneven surface, with the sand-slides on the sides of the 
hills like rents in the rug. "No damask nor velvet 



114 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

nor Tyrian dye nor stuffs nor the work of any loom 
could ever match it." Even Thoreau's pen fell short 
of the full round of beauty. Did he watch in a gray 
day the exquisite harmony of the sky, the sea, the 
sand, like a Japanese print? Did he see the tupelo 
tree near the ponds .^ In the late spring, its bright 
green leaves are aglow among the soberer trees; in the 
autumn, the leaves on the top branches are fire-red, 
those in the shadow beneath are yellow, and the lowest 
branches, bare and gray, are turned to purple by the 
sun shining through the splendor above them; in a 
winter afternoon the horizontal boughs make straight 
bars against a crimson sky. 

Beach Plums 

The fall brings the beach plums. On the head of 
the one who picks huckleberries, the sun beats down 
unmercifully; briers and brambles are synonymous 
with blackberries; but beach plums on the low bushes 
in the clean sand, the spicy bayberries under feet, the 
salt wind blowing free across the hills, — beach plums, 
purple beauties, a quart in a minute, ah, that is God's 
own invitation to a good time. 

Flowers 

I know a garden on the south side of a house, 
sunken a little as it slopes toward the shore, and pro- 
tected by a tight board fence. Flowers bloom in that 
garden every month in the year, except in January. 
Marigolds, nasturtiums and sweet alyssum are under 
the sheltering leaves; pansies are tucked away in a 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 



115 



warm corner; gilly flowers persist, and chrysanthe- 
mums flourish into December: before the end of 
February crocuses push up. In January, along the 
edges of the swamps, pussywillows are telling that the 
sun is higher, and the mayflowers in Myrick's Pines 
peek out in March. 

Storms 

Oh yes, .there is usually skating for some days. 
Ice six inches thick is as much as the icemen expect 
to cut. More than that is eleemosynary. Yes, there 
is coasting nearly every winter, and there are sleighs 
in town that have been used. The Wind, chilling to 
the bone, makes our winter. Northeast snowstorms 
come screaming in across the Cape and drive the 
vessels ashore on the Backside. With a southerly 
wind, ice crowds in from the bay, and unless the wind 
changes and carries the ice out again, it crushes the 
wharves. 




116 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

During the winter of 1874—5, with persistent south- 
easterly wind, ice from the bay drifted in, crowded the 
harbor, and piled up on the shore. Then came a rain 
and a hard freeze. For weeks, from the shore to Long 
Point, there was good skating. This sheet of ice did 
no damage, but broke up under a thaw and drifted 
out to sea again. 

The Portland Gale 

The snow, the wind and the tide, one fearful night 
in 1898, wrecked half the wharves in town. That was 
the night the steamer Portland went down. The next 
morning, the shore was strewn with wreckage. For 
weeks, grief-stricken strangers paced up and down the 
beach, hoping that a dear dead body might wash 
ashore. They did not know how quickly a body in 
the sea disintegrates. Such storms are the awful days 
that come once in a generation. Every winter, how- 
ever, brings howling gales that soon blow out as the 
wind whips in to the north and makes the harbor clear 
and bright and hard as glass. When the norther 
moderates, then the artists say that Cape Cod is like 
the south of France. 

Blue and Gold 

In summer the hills are a purple line separating 
the blue water from the yellow sand, and the town is 
a purple shadow under the hills. For a day in winter, 
the snow changes all to silver, but the silver soon 
tarnishes and again the town is a purple shadow between 
the blue and the yellow. Someone should write a 
jingle— 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 117 

Provincetown the silver hook 

Provincetown the sickle 

Provincetown the shining blue and gold. 

Such sights are not, however, for the summer 
transient sauntering along by the boat-landing and the 
restaurants. These visitors will very likely call it a 
hot and dusty old place. Like Yankee Doodle, they 
are troubled by the many houses. He who looks from 
the hills, from the monument, from the heights in 
Truro sees a picture, and he who lingers, loves it. 

Here's to Your Health 

Health lives on our dunes, long ago washed up 
from the sea and never contaminated by human habi- 
tation. Health breathes in the wind blowing across 
three thousand miles of salt water. Health glows in 
the sunshine pouring down on the hills unimpeded. 

Years ago the artists discovered Provincetown the 
Picture-book, now invalids are enjoying Provincetown 
the Healer. 



The Churches 

The Old Parish 

''''The Lord has more truth yet to break forth of 
his Holy Wordr 

John Robinson, 1620. 

AFTER the petition of Truro to the General 
Court, in 1715, that the Precinct of Cape Cod 
be declared a part of Truro or not a part of 
Truro, that the town might know how to deal with 
some persons, the General Court served notice on the 
people here to show cause why they did not entertain 
a learned orthodox minister of the Gospel to dispense 
the word of God to them as required by law. Two 
years later, the General Court granted £150 toward 
the expense of a meeting-house on Cape Cod, "the 
money to be expended under the direction of Thomas 
Paine, Ebenezer Doane, and John Snow of Truro, 
the edifice to be thirty-two feet by twenty- 
eight feet, with a gallery on three sides, the inhabitants 
to sustain the balance of the expense and keep the 
premises in order." This house was built on the 
plain, "Meeting House Plain" southwest of the Old 
Cemetery on Winthrop street, and not far from the 
place where later they built the jail. Shank Painter 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 119 

pond then extended to a point near the meeting-house. 
The whole plain was doubtless once a part of the pond. 
Fifty years later, they built a second meeting-house 
on the same site, and in 1793, they built the Old White 
Oak from timber cut on the hills. 

{Acknowledgmeyit should here be viade to the careful 
study of the late Judge James Hughes Hopkins, who put 
in order many confused records and traditions.) 

The Old White Oak 

Writing in 1870, he says: "The Old White Oak is 
still remembered by the elder natives of the town with 
sentiments of veneration. It is remembered, too, that 
the seats of the large square pews, hung upon hinges, 
were turned up during prayer and turned down at its 
close; that it was the delight of the boys in the galleries, 
despite the menace of tything-men armed with long 
poles, to throw the seats down with a bang that startled 
the congregation; an annoyance finally ended by 
enforcing the vote of the town to nail down the seats." 

The first minister of the town was the Reverend 
Jeremiah Gushing. The birth of his son, Ezekiel 
Gushing, April 28, 1698, is one of the earliest items in 
the town records. 

It was in November that they voted in town 
meeting to build the new meeting-house, the Old 
White Oak, and to set it near the North Meadow Gut, 
now Gosnold Street. In January, they voted to put 
the meeting-house near the residence of the Reverend 



120 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

Samuel Parker which stood where the CathoHc Church 
is now built. They put the meeting-house just east 
of Mr. Parker's house. They sold the stock in the 
new meeting-house in forty shares. A full share cost 
£7, 10s., and a half share cost £3, 15s. The pews 
were sold at public vendue to the highest bidder, and 
the highest bidder was Elijah Nickerson, who paid 
3186 for pew No. 20. 

In 1807 the meeting-house was remodeled and 
four new pews added, at considerable expense to the 
town. At that time the highest bidder was Solomon 
Cook, who paid ^342 for pew No. 39. Thus remodeled 
the old town meeting-house was dignified and hand- 
some, and an expression of all that was excellent and 
permanent in the life of that day. 

Reverend Samuel Parker 

Jeremiah Cushing, the first minister (evidently 
not regularly "settled") and Hannah, his wife, and 
little Ezekiel are only names to us now, but the Rever- 
end Samuel Parker seems a real person. His descend- 
ants are still living in the town. He was born in 
Barnstable, was graduated from Harvard University, 
came to Provincetown when he was thirty-two years 
old and lived here till he was an old man, and lies 
buried in the Old Cemetery. The town gave him the 
frame of his house and half the building of it. It was 
not a very large house, thirty by twenty-seven and 
eight feet in the walls. Perhaps it was planned like 
this: with two rooms in the attic and a barn for the 
cows: 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 



121 



1. The Fore-room 

2. The Entry 

3. The Study 

4. The Chimney 

5. The Kitchen 

6. The Buttery 

7. The Bedroom 



w 



I . H ^ I 

i 1 



They gave him also his firewood, meadow for two 
cows, and £66, 13s., 7d., lawful money. The General 
Court guaranteed also £45 annually for twelve years. 



Mr. Parker had two hard experiences. The first 
during the Revolutionary War, when the British held 
the town and the inhabitants fled; the minister proba- 
bly with the others. We know they had not gone far, 
however, when the Somerset came ashore, and that 
they returned soon after the war. The real tragedy 
came when his last days were saddened by the rise of 
Methodism in the town. A vote was passed in town 
meeting placing the Methodist minister in control of 
Mr. Parker's pulpit unless he was able to officiate. A 
Methodist selectman and "keeper of the meeting-house 
key" refused to open the door of the meeting-house 
for a regularly-warned town meeting, and the town 
adjourned to the store of Thomas Ryder to transact 
its business. He saw his people divided and many 
leaving the old parish for the "New Lights." Thus 
his pulpit, his people, his prestige slipped away from 
him. Through it all he remained kindly and tolerant. 
When he died he was greatly lamented. 



122 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

Reverend Nathaniel Stone 

His successor, Reverend Nathaniel Stone, attacked 
with vigor the problems under which Mr. Parker had 
suffered. A new element and complication was the 
refusal of people everywhere to pay the minister's tax, 
assessed by the towns. After the Revolutionary War, 
taxation without representation in the church, became 
as hateful as it had been in the state. 

People revolted from the old Calvinistic theology, 
and from the authority of the ministers, and from the 
taxes for support of a parish in which they no longer 
had a part. This led to a long conflict, in which the 
best legal talent of the country was engaged, and which 
was largely led and financed by the Independent 
Christian Society (Universalist) of Gloucester. 

Mr. Stone was an able man, but irascible and 
''sot," and anxious to fight the Methodists. Expos- 
tulations from his people could not prevent him, nor 
hints to resign move him. The sad end of it all was 
that in 1830 all his hearers had deserted him, the 
meeting-house was closed and the historic identity of 
town and parish was ended forever. Mr. Stone 
remained in town seven years after his parish was gone. 
His home was the present residence of Mrs. Grace 
F. Hall on Lothrop's Hill. From this pleasant height, 
he could see his old meeting-house closed, at the foot 
of the hill the new Methodist meeting house, and to 
the west the new building of the Universalists. A 
bitter cup for the valiant old minister who remembered, 
having done all, to stand. 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 123 

When at last he went away from town and when 
the heat of the conflict had cooled, the faithful of the 
old order were again gathered, a new meeting-house 
was framed from the Old White Oak and set in a new 
place, and another parish organized. This was in 1843, 
and the house they built is the present structure near 
Town Hall. 

Reverend Osborn Myrick 

Here they prospered under the care of Reverend 
Osborn Myrick, whose kind heart and gracious man- 
ners endeared him to the whole town. Mr. Myrick 
left in Truro, where he first preached, a living and 
permanent memorial to his fine nature and public 
spirit. His early home was in Vermont, barren Cape 
Cod depressed him, he longed for green trees growing. 
He therefore ran furrows up and down the Truro hills 
and scattered therein seeds of pine. His trees have 
never grown to be like the stately pines of Vermont 
and they never will, but the brave stunted branches 
under which the mayflowers bloom bear the fragrant 
name of Myrick's Pines. 

The Methodists 

Methodism from its beginning has been strong on 
Cape Cod, and from the time when the first Methodist 
meeting was held in the fore-room of Thomas Ryder's 
house, it has been strong in Provlncetown. It began 
in the days when the distinction between Christian 
living and orthodox opinion, long obscured, was being 



124 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

asserted, and its rallying cry was "Salvation is free." 
It encountered furious opposition. The town voted in 
town meeting that no Methodist meeting-house should 
be built. When, notwithstanding this vote, the Meth- 
odists sent to Maine and bought lumber for a meeting- 
house, a mob gathered on the beach where the lumber 
lay, cut it into small pieces and carried it to the top of 
High Pole Hill where they set fire to it. They crowned 
the bonfire with an effigy of Jesse Lee, a Methodist 
minister. That was but a slight thing to the ardor of 
new converts. They got another vessel-load of lumber 
from Maine and built the meeting-house. While the 
building was in process of construction, Samuel Atwood 
and others kept guard, but they were unmolested. 
The house was, after the fashion of the early Method- 
ists, small and bare of paint or plaster. About this 
time, John Kenny and twenty-eight others of the most 
respected citizens presented a statement in town 
meeting that they were attendants at and supporters 
of the Methodist meeting. There was no further 
opposition to the Methodists. They soon built a 
church, large and handsome, with a spire and a bell. 
Now children smile at what was to the fathers so 
serious. 

According to the early Methodist policy of chang- 
ing ministers every two years, a long succession of 
names is recorded and the men who bore them are 
forgotten. One name, however, that of Epaphras 
Kibby, a favorite minister, has been perpetuated in 
the Cook family. 

The work of Reverend Edgar F. Clark is distinct- 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 125 

ive and important. At the time when the Bible and 
science were supposed by some to be contradictory, 
Mr. Clark gave a series of Sunday evening lectures on 
Genesis, illustrated by charts on Geology and other 
natural sciences, to the edification of the faith of the 
community. 

When Mr. Clark was questioned on the perennial 
issue of Sunday whaling, "If you had been out six 
months and had not seen a whale, and then on Sunday 
you sighted one, what would you do.^" Mr. Clark 
replied, "I think I should call all hands together and 
ask the Lord to bless us, and then I would go and get 
the whale." 

Obadiah Snow 

Methodists are always a singing people. The 
singing of the Methodists of Provincetown has long 
been so excellent that it should be spoken of. For 
sixty years, Obadiah Snow was a chorister of remark- 
able ability. With a sweet and true tenor voice, 
assisted by a leader on each part, and by his son Olin 
at the piano, when he lifted the baton and said "Now 
Olin," he made the vestry rock with singing. 



126 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 




The Centenary Church 
During a revival, led by a Mr. Dunbar, came a 
split in the Methodist church. Mr. Dunbar was a 
mystic and a man without the saving knowledge of 
when to speak. What a pity that some one had not 
sent him a note asking him to preach on Psalms CVI, 
32-33. Meditation on what happened to Moses might 
have restrained even Mr. Dunbar. 

Anyway, ninety persons at the west end of the 
town seceded, bought the building vacated by the 
Universalists, named it Wesley Chapel and formed a 
new organization. In the fat years after the Civil 
War, they built a very large and handsome church. 
They were determined to have, and they did have, a 
steeple one foot higher than that of the mother church. 
Their ambition was their undoing, for this lofty point, 
above the stream of the fire engines, was one night 
struck by lightning. It burned so slowly and so 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 127 

fitfully that many watching it thought it might be a 
corposant which plays harmlessly about the masts of 
vessels. There was no sign of fire within the building, 
and none without, except that lofty point, when 
suddenly the whole structure burst into flame. Blaz- 
ing to the sky, the beautiful church and the splendid 
organ was in an hour a heap of ashes and charred 
timbers. This disaster happened in the lean years 
when fishing was dead and when young men were 
leaving town for Boston and the West. Many friends 
of Centenary, together with the presiding elder and the 
bishop felt that to rebuild was folly. However, there 
was the land, the insurance, and the parsonage. Those 
who had given the money represented by these re- 
sources had given it for Centenary Church, and some 
felt that no disposition, except for Centenary's use was 
permissible. With many problems to solve and with 
some opposition. Miss Phoebe E. Freeman held to- 
gether the Sunday School, and. with Mrs. Lizzie 
Foster and other friends, canvassed the community 
for gifts. Thus was built by the devotion of a few, 
when it would have been easy to sit still, the convenient 
and beautiful chapel which stands to bless the whole 
west end of the town. 

Reverend George H. Bates 

Reverend George H. Bates, a relative of the 
Governor of Massachusetts, did a good piece of 
constructive work while he was pastor of Centenary 
Church. Mr. Bates was a quiet gentleman who 
patiently taught the excitable members of his flock 



128 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

that hysteria and religion are not necessarily connected, 
and sometimes are far apart. Since his day, and partly 
because of his influence, there have been no more 
"high meetings." Methodism has no place for a 
parish, but Provincetown Methodist Churches retain 
the old parish organization in addition to that outlined 
by the discipline. Young ministers to whorn a 
parish seems incongruous or unnecessary have tried 
in vain to ignore it — even to combat it. The 
minister is not supposed to attend the parish meeting. 
When one earnest and persistent brother appeared at 
the annual parish meeting, though the ways of parishes 
had been explained to him, Mr. Benjamin Dyer arose 
and spoke. "Mr. Moderator, I move that this meet- 
ing be adjourned to such time as it can be held without 
the presence of the minister." The vote was unani- 
mous in favor of the motion, the minister departed, 
and the parish held its annual meeting according to 
custom. 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

X 



129 




THE UNIVERSALISTS. 

Church of the Redeemer, Universalist 

Following the picturesque custom of the Pilgrims 
whose children bore such names as Oceanus Hopkins, 
Peregrine White, Wrestling Brewster, and Hate-evil 
Hall, the Universalist church might well be called 



130 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

Seaborn, Not only the local church but also the 
message of John Murray, the first great apostle of 
Universalism in America, was seaborn. John Murray 
was a friend of John Wesley in England and an itiner- 
ant preacher with him. Wesley denied the Calvinists 
who affirm that the elect alone are saved. Wesley 
preached always one sermon. With many texts and 
with varying phrase, his message was, "Christ died for 
all and salvation is free." John Murray outran his 
friend. Starting with Wesley's premise, "Christ died 
for all", Murray preached, "If Christ died for all, 
then are all men saved." John Wesley managed to 
hold his place in the established church, though with 
many discomforts, but John Murray was utterly cast 
out. Bereaved of his wife and child, imprisoned, in 
debt, he set sail for America to hide himself in the 
wilderness and never preach again. When the vessel 
was fog-bound off Barnegat, John Murray went ashore 
at Good Luck, N. J. for fish and milk. There he met 
a man who said to him, "You are the preacher for 
whom I built my meeting-house." When John Murray 
said that he was supercargo of the brig Hand-in-Hand 
and not a preacher, Thomas Potter replied, "You can 
not say that you have never preached, and preached 
the doctrine, *If Christ died for all, then are all men 
saved.' " Pressed till he was ashamed, John Murray 
promised that he would preach in Potter's meeting- 
house, if the fog did not lift before Sunday. "The 
fog will never lift," said Thomas Potter, "till you have 
preached in my meeting-house." It did not lift, and 
John Murray preached on Sunday. Potter, who could 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 131 

neither read nor write, had thought his way out of the 
darkness of the old theology into the light of, "God is 
love and all men are His children." Persuaded of his 
truth, he had built a meeting-house and was waiting 
for a minister to proclaim it. He said that when he 
saw the brig in the offing, and when he met John 
Murray on the shore, he was sure that his preacher had 
come. A romantic career followed this beginning at 
Good Luck, and at length, John Murray, his adven- 
tures, and his doctrines, were published in a book. 
Cast into the water by an unknown hand, the book 
floated in the tide to Long Point, even to the feet of 
Sylvia and Elizabeth Freeman, daughters of Prince 
Freeman. The name Prince Freeman is found often 
on the Cape. It is a heritage from Mercy Prince, 
daughter of Governor Prince and descendant of Elder 
Brewster. Freemans, wherever found, love to read. 
Little enough Sylvia and Elizabeth had to read, when 
the mail was brought once a week by a man on horse- 
back. But they had a schoolhouse and a good school 
and they loved to read. It was the daily task of 
Sylvia and Elizabeth to gather driftwood. You would 
never believe how many things and what strange 
things drift in from sea and wash up with the tide. We 
who live on the shore are always watching for what 
may come in on the flood. Sylvia and Elizabeth saw 
in the water, just beyond their reach, a book. Eliza- 
beth waded off and with a barrel hoop hooked the book 
ashore. It was the life of John Murray, leather-bound 
and water-soaked, but legible. The girls did not tell 
of their prize, but they dried the book, read it, believed 



132 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

its teachings and became the first Unlversalists in the 
community. The secret could not long be kept. They 
showed the book to their father and mother, to cousins 
and neighbors on the Point and to friends on T'other 
Side. Out of the discussion and agitation which 
followed, grew the Christian Union Society. The 
record book of this society, evidently not the earliest 
book, begins with the entry of a meeting in 1829 at 
Enos Nickerson's schoolhouse when they voted to 
build a meeting-house. This they did, setting the 
building on the eastern corner of Central and Commer- 
cial Streets. In process of time this building was sold 
to the up-along Methodists who refurnished it and 
named it Wesley Chapel. Then the Universalists 
built their present church. They spared no expense in 
their endeavor for the finest meeting-house south of 
Boston, and they succeeded in building a handsome 
colonial church, with a spire famous for its beauty. 

Again across the sea came the man who decorated 
the interior. He was the father of the Reverend 
Charles W. Wendte, D.D., a German who had studied 
art in Italy. He came to America to introduce the 
frescoing of buildings, when most New England 
meeting-houses were bare. Unfaded in the passing 
years, the walls of this church repeat the designs the 
young man studied in Siena, Italy; and the ceiling 
reflects that of the Temple of Neptune in the Acropolis. 
The organ was bought by the subscriptions of the 
young men of the town, a long and valiant list. Sabin 
Smith was chorister and played the bass viol, Elijah 
Smith played the violin and William W. Smith played 
the cello. Isaiah Gifford and Captain Russell Elliot 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 133 

played clarinets. These, with the organ and the choir 
of men-singers and women-singers made music to vie 
with the Methodists. 

The daughters of Sylvia Freeman came every 
Sunday from the Point in the five-handed boat for the 
meeting in the new meeting-house. When the minister 
gave out the hymn, and the people in the pews turned 
round and faced the choir, and saw thirty-six 
young ladies, each with a beautiful bonnet tied under 
her chin by a broad and fluttering ribbon, and when the 
little girls heard that music, delight for them could 
go no farther. On Sunday afternoon, the two little 
girls played meeting. There were two essentials for 
the play. One was the broad ribbon bonnet strings, 
and the other was a mysterious word which the angelic 
singers seemed to utter. "Ssspersse, oh sssperssse," 
they seemed to sing. And now in Sylvia's family if 
anyone behaves in a very elegant and genteel manner, 
we say of her, "She is ssspersssing." 

The minister who did distinctive work for this 
church was Reverend John Bovie Dods, one of the 
earliest. He was an eloquent preacher and a scholar. 
He was a teacher and proprietor of an academy. He 
was also what would be called now a mental healer 
and he conducted a successful clinic. He was the 
minister who declined an increase in salary — an increase 
that would have brought his pay up to six hundred 
dollars — saying that he had no use for so much money 
although at that time he had a wife and five children. 

The story of the Catholic Church runs with that 
of the Portuguese people. The movement by the 
Episcopalians is supported largely by summer residents. 



Benevolences 

The Well-wishing for the Town ' 

THE largest fund is that of the Helping Hand, 
a gift of 350,000 for the worthy poor by Mr. 
Edwin A. Grozier. The income is administered 
by six trustees. One of the conditions is that the 
names of the beneficiaries shall not be made public. 

Rev. William Henry Ryder, D.D., gave a fund of 
35,000, the income to be used for the poor of the town 
without regard to nationality or sect. This charity 
also is enjoined to make no public report. It is en- 
trusted to three members of the Universalist Parish. 

Dr. Ryder gave the site of the Town Hall. It 
was the old Godfrey Ryder homestead. Mr. Joseph 
P. Johnson gave the clock, and Mr. John F. Nickerson 
gave the bell. 

The Public Library, both land and building, was 
presented to the town by Mr. Nathan Freeman. 31,000 
for books was subscribed by friends of the town to 
meet the provisional vote of the town of 32,000, for 
books, when the library was first opened. The Sons 
of Temperance had before that time put at interest 
3300 toward books for a library. Mr. Augustus 
Mitchell selected and catalogued the first purchase of 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 135 

books. Mr. Benjamin Small made a gift of 35,000 to 
the library, the income for books. 

There is the Cemetery Fund, for the care of indi- 
vidual lots, one hundred and thirty-two gifts, amount- 
ing to about 335,000. 

325,000 were collected by the Boston Post for those 
made widows and orphans by the loss of three fishing 
schooners in 1917. 

The Seamen's Aid Society Fund of 32,000, for 
shipwrecked sailors, is now absorbed in the Helping 
Hand. 

We have benefitted by the Shaw Fund for Marin- 
ers' Children, a gift from Robert Gould Shaw for 
Massachusetts, in which needy children of Province- 
town have had a share. 

The Centenary Church has had a gift of 31,000 
from Rev. Samuel McBurney, a former pastor, of 3500 
from Miss Rebecca L. Nickerson, and of 3500 from 
Mrs. Nancy Hanley. 

The Congregationalist Church, the Church of the 
Pilgrims, has been given legacies of 31,000 by Mr. 
Stephen T. Nickerson, of 31,000 by Miss Eunice and 
Miss Miranda Nickerson, of 31,200 by Mr. Lauren 
Young, of 31,000 by Miss Delia Mills, of 3500 by Mrs. 
Esther W. Hutchins, of 3500 by Mrs. Susan A. Mann, 
of 3300 by Mrs. Joanna C. Myrick. Mrs. Mann and Mrs. 
Hutchins were daughters of Dr. Jeremiah Stone, for 
many years the physician of the town. Roughest 
with shams, tenderest with suffering, he knew us all. 

The Universalist Church has been remembered in 
wills by a legacy of 3100 for the Sunday School from 



136 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

Mrs. Rebecca Noyes, of 3300 for care of the church 
building from Mr. Atkins Nickerson, of 31,000 from 
Mrs. Ann Simmons Freeman, of 3100 from Mr. Walter 
I. Nickerson, of 3300 from Mr. Jabez Atwood. A 
memorial fund has been recently established, with a 
tablet in the church bearing the names of those in 
whose memory the money is given. Gifts of 350 are 
received. Half the income of the fund is at the dis- 
posal of the trustees of the parish, and half is annually 
added to the principal. 




The Schoola 



'^The Providence of God hath made Cape Cod convenient to us for 
fishing with seines — All such profit as may and shall accrue annually 
to the Colony from fishing with nets or seines, for mackerel, bass or 
herring, to he improved for and toward a free school, in some town of 
this jurisdiction for the training up of youth in literature, for the good 
and benefit of posterity — They shall be duly taught to read the Scriptures, 
a knowledge of the Capital Laws, and the main principles of Religion 
necessary to Salvation^ 

From the records of the General Court, 1671, 



THUS, fifty years after our harbor floated the 
Compact of Government, our fish furnished 
money for the beginnings of the free public 
school system of America. This free school was not 
then established on Cape Cod, but in some town 
nearer Plymouth, probably in several towns. No 
sooner were we a real town, however, than the town 
record sets forth, "An account with Mr. Samuel 
Winter for keeping school one half year, £22, 10." 
And then, thus early, the fathers established the 
precedent of being generous with the schools, for the 



138 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

next half year Mr. Winter's salary was £22, 15. Where 
did Mr. Winter keep the school.^ In the meeting- 
house, perhaps, for school in the meeting-house was 
not uncommon in those days, and often since, in case 
of need, we have used the meeting-house for a school. 
These early schoolmasters often boarded around, and 
the school followed them. Perhaps the school was 
kept part of the year in one section, and part in another, 
'a moving school.' 

Schoolhouses 
A separate and fixed abode was not long delayed, 
for in 1795, the Masons' House was built for King 
Hiram's Lodge, the upper story a handsome hall, and 
the lower story divided into two schoolrooms. This 
building, now a dwelling, stands at 119 Bradford Street. 
It seems evident that in those years there were three 
little schoolhouses in the town. In 1828, the town 
did itself proud by creating six school districts, and 
erecting six district schoolhouses. Each district elected 
its own supervisor. One of these district schools was 
near West Vine Street, the Enos Nickerson schoolhouse 
was near Atlantic Avenue; one is still standing not 
far from the present Eastern schoolhouse. These 
ungraded district schools served until 18-14, when the 
town built the Western, the Center, the Eastern school- 
houses, each for three grades, the Primary, the Inter- 
mediate, the Grammar. Five years after, the High 
School was established. These schools were furnished 
with blackboards, maps, globes, and all the latest 
appliances for education in that day, and were con- 
sidered models. 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 139 

The Books 

What did they study in those early years? 
The Catechism and the Ten Commandments. 
The New England Primer, from 
"In Adam's fall 
We sinned all." 
down to 

"Zacheus he 
Did climb a tree 
His Lord to see." 

The American First Class Book, with selections 
from the classics. 

The Young Reader, with — 

"Devotion is a tender plant," and, 
"The storm is o'er, how dense and bright 
Yon pearly clouds embowered lie, 
Cloud upon cloud, a goodly sight, 
Contrasted with the dark blue sky." 

At a reception given Mrs. Ruth Holsbury of 
Truro, on her one hundredth birthday, in 1915, Mrs. 
Holsbury was able to repeat the entire Gospel of 
Matthew, learned in school when she was a little girl. 
What a background for the vicissitudes of ninety years! 

Winter Boys' School 

It was found that graded schools shut out sixty 
or seventy young men, home from sea in the winter, 
who wanted more education, but who refused to "sit 



140 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

on the bench with the little boys, with legs sticking 
out across the aisle, and study Grammar. Rather go 
whaling." Out of the need thus expressed grew the 
Winter Boys' School, often taught by a Dartmouth 
College student. If he made a success of his school, 
he must be a young giant, not afraid to use his fists, 
and able to teach Navigation. 

Mr. Nathaniel Dill of Wellfleet was Winter Boys' 
teacher, for many terms. 

The High School 

When the state law requiring towns to support 
a High School was passed, Provincetown promptly 
voted to establish a High School according to law, in 
town meeting March 22, 1849, and as promptly opened 
the school April 26, in the vestry of the old Methodist 
church under the Hill, for which they paid seventy-five 
cents a week rent, with Freeman Nickerson principal 
at a salary of four hundred dollars, and Miss C. A. 
Rogers, assistant. The records do not tell what 
salary Miss Rogers received. The school committee 
at that time were Godfrey Ryder, Esq., Dr. S. A. 
Paine and Rev. Osborn Myrick. With the building 
of the Town Hall and the High School on the Hill, in 
1854, we had a High School indeed. 

Private Schools 

While the town was thus developing its public 
school system, private schools were not lacking. 
There were singing-schools, one kept by Mr. B. O. Gross 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 141 

(named for the minister, Bartholomew Otheman) 
one kept by Mr. Caleb Cook (one of the many singers 
in the Cook family). There were dancing-schools 
(Mr. Caleb Dyer Smith was one of the dancing-masters) 
and writing-schools (Mrs. Anna J. Hutchinson taught 
the latest one), and without fail every winter, classes 
in Navigation, where Gershom Cutter was the teacher. 
Gershom was once a juryman, when the judge remarked : 

"A sharp name you have, Mr. Cutter." 

"Yes," said Cutter, "and my other name is 
Gashem," following the local pronunciation, a use of 
vowels like that of the people of Devonshire, whence 
most of us came. 

Another illustration is a man who could not speak 
for stuttering, but who could sing, and who did sing 
to the captain: 

"Overboard is Barnabus 
Half a mile astarn of us." 

Both the Methodists and the Universalists main- 
tained schools for young ladies and young gentlemen; 
the doctor and the minister were always tutoring 
ambitious boys looking toward the professions; and 
there were private schools for children. For years 
Aunt Sally Conant kept a school in her house. She 
was a sister to Gamaliel Collins, a minister, and of a 
cultured family. We now acquire, at large expense, 
under the name of kindergarten, the methods used by 
this lady who was apt to teach. Elderly people 
remember with pleasure the crib where the little tots 
were put to sleep, the hand-work, the cookies passed 
around by the good child, the games at the open door. 



142 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

The Seminary 

In the days when academies and seminaries 
flourished everywhere, Provincetown's seminary was 
not behind the best. If any desires to read a list of 
pure English names, let him read the roster of Zoeth 
Smith's Seminary in 1845-6, on p. 224 

From the First Annual Catalogue. 
Tuition per Quarter. 

For Common English Branches $3.00 

For Algebra, Geometry and Naviga- 
tion, each 1.00 

For Mental and Moral Sciences 75 

For Astronomy, Chemistry, and Natur- 
al Philosophy 1.00 

For Latin and Greek 1.25 

For French and Italian 1.50 

For Bookkeeping, single and double 

entry 1.00 

For Physiology 67 

For Ornamental Branches 2.00 

For Music with use of piano 8.00 

Board — 

The price of board varies from 
32.00 to $2.50 per week, including 
fuel, lights, room and washing. 
Board may be obtained for $1.00 
per week, exclusive of fuel, etc. 
Address "Seminary" post paid. 
This Seminary was in the old Masons' House. 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 143 

Teachers 

Buildings and curriculum do not make a school, 
but "President Mark Hopkins on one end of log, and 
a boy on the other." Many excellent teachers have 
served the schools, and many boys and girls on the 
other end of the log have responded to their inspiration. 
In 1825, Mr. Joshua Atwood of Boston was the teacher. 
It was his son Samuel who was town clerk for many 
years, and who always signed his records, "per me 
Sam'l Atwood." Samuel's grandson, Nathaniel, in 
his turn, kept the school on the Point. It was he who 
gave distinguished service to Prof. Agassiz, and who 
delivered a course of lectures on fish, at the Lowell 
Institute, Boston. 

There are now about a thousand children in the 
public schools, and the town gladly pays near forty 
thousand dollars a year to support them. 

Educators might fare far and fare worse for the 
essentials of an education than the requirements of 
our old schools, — the Bible, Navigation, and Music. 



y 



G 






The Art Colony 

How did the largest art colony in the United States 
grow up in Provincetown ? Mr. Marcus Waterman came 
long ago to make studies of the sand for a picture 
of Sahara Desert. We could supply the sand, but the 
lion of Sahara's wastes, he found elsewhere. A por- 
trait of Mr. Waterman hangs in the Beachcombers' 
Club-room. Mr. Halsall, a sailor in his youth, came 
for the marine views. Mr. Brown's father was a 
Provincetown man. Mr. Webster married a Prov- 
incetown girl. Mr. Hawthorn had the first art school. 
These confirmed the word of occasional painters who 
told us that the light here is wonderful, and the sunsets 
rival Italy. 

Behold how great a matter a little fire of enthu- 
siasm kindleth! In 1914 Mrs. John Herring gave an 
address before the Nautilus Club, and suggested the 
organization of an Art Circle. This little group of 
young women made a beginning, and now, I suppose, 
it would be hard to find a handsomer, better-lighted, 
and more appropriate little art museum than ours. 
The by-laws of the Art Association tell us that its 
object is to promote and cultivate the fine arts — to 
establish and maintain a permanent collection — to 
hold exhibitions — to promote the advancement of art 



146 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

by social intercourse between artists and others inter- 
ested in art. Lectures on art are already ours, and a 
library on art is not far ahead. This prosperous 
colony of artists has grown up among us because, as 
they themselves say, everywhere they look they see 
a picture, and because the town's people are hospitable 
to them. The artists are hospitable to each other. 
The conservatives, the ultra-modern, the abstraction- 
ists, every school is welcome, and examples of their 
work are on exhibition. In this democratic atmosphere, 
and in a town now cosmopolitan, but with roots deep 
in a Puritan past, here where the sea and the land meet, 
is being wrought, perhaps, a truly American art. 

Literary people, some of them writers of first 
rank, have also come to bide with us. 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 147 

THE PEACE OF OLD CAPE COD. 

Anonymous 

Nobody ever tried to put it into words, 
The birds, the trees, the ponds, 
The sudden stretches of the sea. 
The fields wind-swept and free, 
The hills where quiet feet have trod. 
The Heavenly Peace of Old Cape Cod. 

Nobody ever tried to make a poem of it. 
Or painted pictures doing justice to it, 
And yet the lives that harassed, torn 
And bleeding, becoming less forlorn. 
Grew healed where lies the living sod. 
The matchless Peace of Old Cape Cod. 

Heartsick of city's clamorous strife, 
And yearning for a wiser life. 
Found here their hopes fulfilled. 
The goldenrod and aster grew. 
Above the sorrows once they knew. 
Made o'er again they learned of God 
And walked with Him on old Cape Cod. 



The Monument and the Hill 

THE hill on which the monument stands is the 
center of three heights, at whose foot the town 
lies. This one is High Pole Hill. A mill is said 
to have stood on the hill in early days. A description 
of the town in 1802, speaks of two mills in the town, 
"One of which goes with fliers on the inside and appears 
like a large and lofty tower. As it stands on a high 
hill, it can be seen at great distance, and to seamen 
entering the harbor it is a conspicuous object." This 
mill was probably where the monument is now. Though 
the mill was demolished and forgotten, the desire for 
a tower remained. In 1854, a Town House with a 
high tower was erected on the hill. 

The land for the Town House was bought from 
Godfrey Ryder, Jonathan Cook, Asa Bowley, Phillip 
Cook, Seth Nickerson, 2nd, Joseph Atkins and Samuel 
Chapman, for three hundred and fifty dollars. The hill 
was lowered some feet, and a building to be proud of 
arose. 

Three things the town demanded in the new 
Town House, a hall for town meetings, rooms for a 
High School, and a tower that could be seen half way 
to Boston Light. Because the top of the hill is wind- 
swept and bleak, the town offices remained in their 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 149 

old quarters on the front street; and because Ocean 
Hall, now the New Central House, was convenient for 
parties and dances it continued to be the social center; 
therefore, the Town House was used only for town 
meeting once or twice a year, and for the High School. 
Winter gales straight from the Arctic sometimes swept 
the girls off their feet, but these things were naught 
compared with the tower. When the building burned 
in 1877, the greatest lament was for the beacon which 
could be seen "clear out in the Bay." 

With the building went the marble tablet over 

the entrance, placed there by the Cape Cod Association. 

"We can get another of them things," they said. 

"But oh, the tower!" The inscription on the 

tablet read: 

In Commemoration of the Arrival of the 
Mayflower in Cape Cod Harbor and of 
THE First Landing of the Pilgrims in 
America at This Place, Nov. 11, 1620 O. S. 
This Tablet is Presented by the Cape Cod 
Association, Nov. 8, 1853. 

An inscription on a tablet near the present Town 
Hall, in place of the one burned, is as follows: 

This Memorial Stone is Erected by the 
Commonwealth of Massachusetts to Com- 
memorate the Compact of Constitution 
of Government, Signed by the Pilgrims 
ON Board the Mayflower, Nov. 20th Old 
Style. 

On the reverse is the text of the compact with 
the names of the signers. 



150 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

The following facts about the Monument are 
from the oiBcial statement issued by the Memorial 
Association: 

"The Monument was erected by the Cape Cod 
Pilgrim Memorial Association, members o^ which are 
to be found in every state in the Union and in all our 
insular possessions. 

The cost of the Monument was about ninety-five 
thousand dollars, exclusive of the site, which was 
given by the town of Provincetown. Of this sum 
forty thousand dollars was contributed by Congress, 
from the National treasury; twenty-five thousand by 
the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; five thousand 
by the town of Provincetown, and the remainder by 
individuals in all parts of the country, in sums varying 
from one dollar to one thousand dollars. The whole 
number of contributors was between three and four 
thousand. The structure is the property of the Cape 
Cod Pilgrim Memorial Association, not of the General 
Government, nor of the Commonwealth. 

The corner stone of the Monument was laid 
August 20, 1907, by the Grand Lodge of Masons in 
Massachusetts, in the presence of Theodore Roosevelt, 
President of the United States, who made an address. 

The Monument was dedicated August 5, 1910, the 
dedicatory address being given by Dr. Charles W. 
Eliot, President-Emeritus of Harvard University. 
William H. Taft, President of the United States, was 
present and made an address. 

The design of the Monument, after much deliber- 
ation, was copied from the tower of Terre del Mangia 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 151 

in Siena, Italy. It is of the Italian Renaissance 
order of architecture. There are several other similar 
towers in different parts of Italy, notably one in 
Florence, which forms the Campanile of Palazzo 
Vecchio. There was no special reason for choosing 
this design save that of Its extraordinary beauty and 
dignity. 

The Monument is 252 feet, seven and one-half 
inches in total height, from the ground to the top of 
the utmost battlement. This is about thirty feet 
higher than Bunker Hill Monument. The site on 
which it stands, on Town Hill, is about one hundred 
feet above tide water, making a total height above sea 
level of upwards of 352 feet. Its foundation is sixty 
feet square at its base and is composed of concrete, 
reinforced with steel bars, placed in layers five inches 
apart. The Monument is built wholly of Maine gran- 
ite, and is twenty-eight feet square at the base. Every 
stone of the structure is of the entire thickness of the 
wall. The arches of the bell-chamber are thirty feet 
in height. The masonry is of the most substantial 
character. Modern skill can not erect a better building. 

The ascent of the Monument is extremely easy, 
an inclined plane, after the manner of that of the 
famous Campanile in Venice, taking the place of the 
usual flight of stairs. It is said that Napoleon Bona- 
parte rode up the original Campanile San Marco on 
horseback." 

The design of the Monument was selected by a 
non-resident committee, who chose what they chose 
for its dignity and beauty, but seem not to have con- 



152 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

sidered its site, and the event it marks. The Pilgrim 
Fathers would doubtless have called it papish and not 
to be put up with, but we know that the Pilgrims 
objected to much about which they had better have 
remained silent. 

More than twenty thousand visitors register, pay 
the entrance fee, and climb to the top of the monument 
every summer. 

The analysis of Pilgrim character in Dr. Eliot's 
address at the dedication of the Monument is especially 
fine. 

The inscription on the Monument, also by Dr. 
Eliot, is as follows. "On Nov. 21st 1620, the May- 
flower, carrying one hundred and two passengers, 
men, women and children, cast anchor in this harbor, 
sixty-seven days from Plymouth, England. The same 
day, the forty-one adult males in the company solemnly 
covenanted and combined together in a civil body 
politic. This body politic established and maintained 
on the bleak and barren edge of a vast wilderness, a 
state without a king or a noble, a church without a 
bishop or a priest, a democratic commonwealth, the 
members of which were 'straightly tied to all care of 
each other's good and of the whole by every one.' 
With long-suffering devotion and sober resolution, they 
illustrated for the first time in history, the principles 
of civil and religious liberty and the practice of a 
genuine democracy. Therefore the remembrance of 
them shall be perpetuated in the vast republic that has 
inherited their ideals." 



A Hint at the Natural History 
of Provincetown 

Contributed by Mr. J. Henry Blake. 

THE beauties of Provincetown have been pro- 
claimed and pictured on canvas by the students 
of art and truthfully have shown to the world 
the enticing attractions in that line. The clear atmos- 
phere, the open sky effects, the brilliant ripples to the 
high surf of old ocean, all have been studied by the 
lover of art, but they are like the old sailor who said: 
"I have been all around the world with Captain Cook, 
and all I saw was the sky above and the water below." 

A noted art critique once said: "Nature is God's 
art, art man's." So in these few lines I wish to try to 
show some of the interesting and wonderful works in 
God's art, and such as can be easily seen and studied 
by those who have the pleasure of visiting Province- 
town, the first landing place of the Pilgrims. 

The whole geographical position of the Cape is 
such that it catches the animals of the north and those 
of the south, and the hand with the index finger bent 
inward holds varied faunse. The Gulf Stream brings 
animals from the south, while the cold current from the 
north, which bathes the Maine coast to Massachusetts 



154 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

Bay, brings animals from that region. The Sperm 
Whale {Physeter macrocephalus), and the Pygmy Sperm 
{Kogia breviceps), the only two kinds of Sperm Whales 
known, and the Bottle-nose Whale [Hyperoodon am- 
pullatum), all of them tropical whales, have been 
captured in Massachusetts Bay, and with the Right 
Whale {Balaena glacialis), a representative of the North 
Atlantic. Because of these favorable agencies Prov- 
incetown's fauna is varied, and most interesting. 
Shells have been found alive in Provincetown, the 
true habitat of which is Florida and the West Indies. 

The flora of Provincetown deserves consideration 
because of the wholly sea formation of its soil. In 
its woods and on the margins of its ponds are found 
500 or more different plants, some of them having 
beautiful flowers and fragrant perfume. But there is 
no plant so useful to Provincetown as the Beach-grass 
{Ammophila arenaria, which means "a lover of the 
sand"), as is manifested by a trip to the sand dunes 
where this grass is about the only plant to grow, and 
is thus valuable in holding the otherwise drifting sands. 
It is a native of this country, and is found along the 
coast from New Brunswick to North Carolina, and also 
in the saline regions of the Great Lakes in the interior. 
Only one of the plants of Provincetown lives wholly 
in salt water, and that is the Eelgrass {Zostera marina^ 
Fig. 1), from the Greek meaning sea-ribbon, or belt, 
from its resemblance to the same. This Eelgrass has 
monoecious flowers arranged alternately in two rows 
on the spadix, and the ribbed seeds 3^ inch long, and 
looking much like a Chinese lantern, are found plenti- 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 155 




Fig I Zostera marina 

fully among the cast-up seaweeds on the shore. It 
is a beautiful sight to see the Zostera waving its slender, 
green, ribbon-like leaves in the water, making a home 
for Hydroids, Bryozoa, and myriads of little creatures 
which live among its branches. 

The algae, or seaweeds, of Provincetown are not 
numerous because of lack of rocks on the shores, but 
are very handsome, the rich brown, green and red 
making them objects of beauty when growing in the 
sunny pools or floating in the sea. There are about 
50 species, some of which are found living in the waters 
all around the earth. They are attractive objects in 
albums, as they can be floated upon paper, pressed 
easily, and retain their natural colors. 

The fishes consist of more than 125 species, none 
of them without interest, from the historic Cod to the 
little Stickleback {Apeltes quadracus) which makes its 
nest and rears its young in a homelike manner. Among 



156 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 



the curious fish is the Pipe-fish (Fig. 2), {Syngnathus 
fuscus), which lives among the seaweeds, and has this 



ji/;/ll!!:£,(m;!.. 



Fig. a Pipe Fish 

peculiarity — that it is the male fish which takes care 
of the young by carrying them in a pouch on the 
ventral side, like the Kangaroo. The Horse-fish (Fig. 
'i),{Hippocavipushudsonius)\ssi near relative, and with 
the same habits, the young swimming out and into 
this pouch at will. The Torpedo {Tetronace occi- 
dentalis), with its electric batteries; the Swell-fish 
{Spheroides maculatus), which has the power to inflate 
itself as large as a football, as a means of protection; 
and the Sunfish (Fig. 4), (Mola mola), which is curious 
in form, and pieces of which can be used like a rubber 
ball, is sometimes 7 feet from tip of dorsal to tip of 
ventral fins, are all found at Provincetown. 





Fig. 3 Horse Fish 



Fig. 4 Sunfish 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 157 




Fig. 5 — Goose-fish 

The Goose-fish, (Fig. 5), so named "because it 
does not know as much as a goose" is often found on 
the beach. It is known in the scientific world as 
Lophius piscatorius, and is noted for its large mouth, 
which is one-third as large as the fish. The gill open- 
ings are placed behind the pectoral fins, a feature 
possessed by no other Provincetown fish. Many- 
instances are told of their swallowing large birds which 
were resting on the water, fish half as large as them- 
selves, and even floating buoys. 

The Flatfish are well represented, from the Halibut, 
weighing more than 300 lbs., to the small "Window- 
pane" Flounder. All Flatfish have their eyes on the 
two sides, like other fish, when very young, but as they 
grow and swim on the side, right or left, one eye is 
forced over, so in all adults the two eyes are on one 
side. To compare a Flounder with an ordinary fish 
it should be placed on its edge, when all fins will be 
in place. The skull of the Flounder is twisted to 
accomodate the eyes. Many other fish could be 
enumerated, such as the gamey Pollock, Horse-mack- 



158 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 



erel, weighing 600 lbs., and others. Provincetown has 
sport for the fisherman, food for the epicure, and 
abundant material for the student in natural history, 
all for the taking. 

I have mentioned the Cetacea and the fishes which 
represent the Vertebrata as those animals which have 
"back-bones," or vertebral columns, but let me now 
call attention to the more numerous group of Inverte- 
brates, such as are met with during a walk along the 
beach. It is said that "God is great in great things, 
but he is especially great in little things," which we 
can find illustrated in the animal life of Provincetown. 
In almost every handful of sand taken up from the 
beach, in places, some evidence of animal life is seen. 





Fig 6 Foraminifera 



The Foraminifera, Fig. 6, (microscopic, one-celled 
animals) exist by the thousands, and probably 50 
different species could be found. It is computed that 
one ounce of sand from the Antilles contains 4,000,000 
shells of Foraminifera. It is the shelly skeletons of 
these little creatures that largely compose the lime- 
stones and chalk of commerce, and the rock used in 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 159 

building many of the beautiful houses of Paris. Some 
of these little shells, rot one quarter as large as the 
head of a pin, are exquisite in architectural plan, and, 
although the animal, one of the lowest, is but a bit 
of protoplasm, with no eyes, mouth or stomach, yet 
it performs all these necessary functions, and moves 
by means of pseudopodia (false feet) composed of 
stringy threads. 

But it is not necessary to consider such small 
things, as there is an abundance of larger and more 
observable forms along the beach. The shores are 
divided into zones, such as Littoral, Laminarian, 
Coralline, etc., but we will consider the Littoral zone 
only, or that which extends from high to low water 




Fig. 7— Clam (Mya arenaria) 
A, B, Muscles which shut the valves; C, intesine; 
D, mantle; E, anus; F, foot; G, gills; H, heart; 
I, contains stomach, liver, etc. 

mark. The common clam, (Fig. 7) Mya arenaria, is 
the most conspicuous shell on the beach, and, although 
many are dug, few people know that the so-called 



160 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

snout or siphon of the clam is its tail, that the head 
and mouth are in the opposite end, and that the large, 
brown mass seen on the inside is the liver, the richest 
part of the clam, although often thrown away by- 
cooks. This illustrates the saying that, "We often 
know the least about those things which are the most 
familiar to us." 

Of the 300 or more different species of shells found 
on the shores of Provincetown there is a large number 
which resemble clams, but are not. Therefore the 
name is very misleading. The so-called "little-neck 
clam," is simply the young of the quahaug {Venus 
mercenario). The quahaug is common in Province- 
town, and it was from the blue part on the interior 
of the shell that the Indians made their "suckanhock," 
or black money, which was twice the value of white 
money or "Wampum." 

The common mussel {Mytilus edulis), is perhaps 
the next most familiar shell, and is of a beautiful blue, 
and edible, as the scientific name implies. In England 
it is sold for food in large quantities, but is seldom 
seen in the markets of the United States, simply 
because it is not fashionable to eat it. Unlike the 
clam, its habit is to live above ground, where, soon 
after its escape from the egg, it anchors itself by a 
strong byssus and spends its life near the spot. It has 
no foot that can be used to crawl with, but in the lower 
part of this corresponding organ is a long groove in 
which this strong anchor rope is prepared and extended 
to carry out this hair-like byssus and attach it to a 
stone or shell. This process repeated many times 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 161 

produces a hair-like bunch of threads, and if the shell 
dies or is bitten away by some fish, this byssus is left 
attached to the stone or shell, and is often pulled up 
by fishermen who believe it is "growing hair." This 
process of the shell's anchoring itself is easily seen by 
placing a live mussle in a white dish of sea water. 

Another interesting shell seen on our walk is 
Astarte castanea, found alive in only one place in the 
harbor, and on the Long Point shore. It is quite 
plentiful, one inch in diameter, chestnut color as the 
name shows, and the animal is bright orange. The 
shells are white when bleached in the sun, and washed 
by the sea, looking like white buttons minus the holes, 
and like the quahaug in shape. This shell is more 
interesting from the fact that it is a deep water shell, 
but with characteristics of those inhabiting island 
shores, and Provlncetown, being almost an island, this 
shell thrives here. 

Another little shell should not pass notice because 
of its beauty and great numbers. There is no common 
name, but the scientific name is Gemma gemma. It 
is shaped like the quahaug, but is seldom more than 
^8 inch long, and this little blue shell is found along 
the beach, and so plentiful in places that they make 
a blue streak as they lay upon the sand. 

The "Ship-worm" (Teredo navalis), is not a worm, 
but a bivalve shell. The two valves are on the an- 
terior end, within the wood bored by these little shells. 

The few shells mentioned above are Bivalves 
(2 valves). I will now mention the Univalves, a 
group which contains the larger number. The two 



162 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 



most conspicuous univalve shells on the beach are 
"Sweetmeats" or "Conchowinkles," local names of no 





Fig. 8 
Polinices duplicata 



Fig. 9 
Polinices heros 



special meaning. The two species differ in one, (Fig. 
8), (Polinices duplicata), having a large, purplish-red 
callosity on the under side, while the other, (Fig. 9) 
(Polinices heros) has none. Both are blind, and burrow 
in the sand for food, living upon dead fish or animals 
of shells which they bore with their radulae, or lingual 
ribbons, which are armed with hundreds of chitinous 
teeth, and then suck out the animals. This is largely 
responsible for the holes seen in many shells, although 
all univalvular shells have radulae for rasping holes. 
None of the bivalves have radulae. 

The egg-cases of these shells are often seen on the 
flats and are called "sand-collars" (Fig. 10), because of 
their shape. These eggs are mixed with sand as they 
are layed around the anterior part of the shell and so 
moulded. If the shell is placed in this collar it fits 
perfectly, and if the collar or egg-case is held to the 
light the egg capsules containing the young are easily 
seen. 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 



163 




Fig. lo Sand-collar 

The most plentiful univalve shell seen at Province- 
town is the "Periwinkle" {Littorina litorea), although 
not known here previous to 1869. It is a black shell, 
sometimes one inch in diameter, and was introduced 
from England, where it is used as food, to the Provinces, 
from which it has spread its way along the coast of 
Maine and Massachusetts, until to-day it is plentiful 
as far as New York. 

The shell which was the most attractive and 
abundant in Provincetown until recent years, is Thais 
lapillus, (Fig. 11). It could be seen by the thousands 





Fig. 



Thais lapillus and eggs 



on the piles of the wharves, where it fed on barnacles, 
but now few are left. They were one inch long, red, 
yellow, white and brown, also banded with colors, but 
since the introduction of the Littorina litorea and the 
destruction of the wharves by the "Portland Gale," 



164 THE PROVINCETQWN BOOK 

few remain. The ^eggs of this species are shaped like 
ten-pins standing on the little ends, are quarter of an 
inch high, and there are 50 or more in a colony. They 
are found attached to piles or stones during the summer 
months. 

A number of shells are found in the fresh water 
ponds, and some in the brackish estuaries, but the 
majority are found in the Littoral and Laminarian 
Zones, and so on, to the deeper sea. On the ocean 
side are found shells which are not seen in the harbor, 
the most common being Mesodesma arctatum, a clam- 
like bivalve with a truncated anterior end. 

The Cephalopods (head-foot), are the most highly 
developed of all shell-fish, and include the Squid, which 
are found in Provincetown, at times, in great numbers. 
There are two kinds. One with big fins (Loligo pealii), 
and one with small fins {Ommastrephes illecebrosa). 
The Squid swim by ejecting a jet of water from the 
siphon which is under the head, and can dart through 
the water rapidly, always going tail foremost. When 
pursuing their prey, however, they can dart head 
foremost by reversing their siphons, and seize little 
fish with their two long tentacles, which have suckers 
on their tips only, then grasp it with the eight tentacles, 
which have suckers their whole length, thence to the 
mouth, situated between the tentacles, which is armed 
with beaks like a bird, except that the lower beak of 
the Squid laps over the upper, opposite to that of 
birds. 

The shell consists of a thin, transparent "pen," 
just under the skin the whole length of the back, and 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 165 

the Squid also carries a sack of ink for clouding the 
water, similar to the smoke screens used during the 
war, to enable them to escape from their enemies. 
They can also change their color at will, from a deep 
red to a pale white, which aids them in capturing 
their prey. Both species possess these characteristics, 
and there is no "boneless Squid." 

The Radiata, Starfish, etc., are represented by 
several interesting forms. The common Starfish is 
recognized in diff'erent varieties. Any one arm of the 
star is able to reproduce its kind, and the five points, 
if separated, will grow into five individuals, all having 
five points and an eye at the extremity of each. 

The "Basket-fish" {Astrophyton agassizii), named 
for the great naturalist. Prof. Louis Agassiz, is a common 
form, having the points of the star divided and sub- 
divided until it has 81,920 terminal branches. The 
name "Basket-star" was given by John Winthrop, 
Governor of Connecticut, who sent one to London in 
1670. One of its modes of feeding is to raise itself 
and rest on the tips of its many arms, like an inverted 
basket, whence the name "Basket-fish," and little fish 
etc., are easily caught in this trap. The "Basket-fish" 
is caught off Race Point on the "Spider Bottom," a 
bank named for this starfish, where it can be found in 
great numbers. 

But I think that the "Sea-urchin" is the most 
wonderful animal of its class — Radiata. The common 
Sea-urchin (Strongylocentrotus drobachiensis) is very 
plentiful in some localities and is found along the coast 
northward, Provincetown being its southern limit. It 



166 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

is closely relateci to the Starfish, which is easily seen 
by bending the five arms of the Starfish upward to the 
dorsal center, the so-called legs corresponding to those 
of the Sea-urchin. It has no eyes, ears, feet, stomach, 
etc., yet has the power to substitute the functions of 
all these organs. It is covered with spines for protec- 
tion, and these three kinds of spines are movable on 
little knobs which arise from calcareous plates which 
make up the test. The five ambulacra which radiate 
from the dorsal center have holes in the two rows of 
plates through which some 1800 long sucker-bearing 
tubes, used for locomotion, are protruded. The mouth, 
which is on the ventral side, is armed with five teeth, 
and this complicated structure (called Aristotle's lan- 
tern) requires 60 muscles to work the five jaws in 
masticating its seaweed food. 

But the most interesting feature of the Sea-urchin 
is the fact that its body is covered with hundreds of 




Fig. 1 2 Pedicellariae 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 167 

pedicellariae (Fig. 12), whose purpose is to keep the 
body and spines clean. These little organs can easily 
be seen attached to the test at the base of the spines, 
and consist of a pointed stalk with a three-pointed 
pincer at the tip which can be seen picking up particles 
of dirt and sometimes handing them along to other 
pincers, until carried clear of the body. The mouth 
of the Sea-urchin is in the center of the ventral side, 
while the anus is in the center of the dorsal side. 

The common Sand-dollar {Echinarachnius parmd) 
is closely related to the Sea-urchin, and has most of 
its characteristics, the chief difference being that it is 
flat instead of round, and that it has short spines 
instead of long. 

There are many forms of Crustacea (from "crusta" 
referring to the crust-like covering), or crabs, but the 
most familiar is the Hermit-crab which carries a bor- 
rowed shell on its back for protection. When very 
young it swims at the surface, after which it sinks to 
the bottom never more to rise. As it has no hard 
covering for its body, like other crabs, it looks about 
for a house to live in, and, finding a common shell 
handy, it backs in, thus protecting the soft part of 
its body which is a tempting morsel to some fish. 
From the Hermit-crab's early days instinct leads it 
to choose a house, and when the animal outgrows one 
shell it moves into a larger one without consulting a 
landlord. 

The Fiddler-crab {Gelasimus pugilator or Uca 
puligator) lives in the marshes, in holes which they dig 
by rolling up and bringing out the sand in pellets, 



168 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

carrying it some distance away from their holes. Their 
food, of algae, they carry into their holes the same 
way. Only the male has one small, and one large 
claw like a fiddle, hence the name, while the female 
has two small claws. 

The common "Beach-flea" (Orchestia agilis) is 
found in holes along the beach, even above tide. 

An interesting Crustacean is the common Horse- 
shoe Crab {Limulus polyphemus), as it is the only 
living representative of a prehistoric race, the Trilo- 
bites, many of which are found in a fossil state. It 
has two sets of eyes, one compound eye on each side 
of the head, and a pair of simple eyes in the anterior 
middle of the head, a characteristic of the Spiders, to 
which it is more closely related than to the Crabs. 
As its hard, chitinous shell prevents growth, it is shed 
and a new one formed, thus allowing growth of the 
animal to take place. Not only is the outer covering 
shed, but all the chitinous internal structure, also. 
The shedding takes place by the anterior edge of the 
shell splitting, allowing the newly-formed animal to 
work its way out of the old shell. Many of the cast-off 
shells are seen on the beaches. The female is four 
times larger than the male, but at a certain molting, 
(Fig. 13), not yet discovered, the front claws of the 
male change to a pair adapted to holding on to the 
shell of the female, as they go in pairs in the breeding 
season, and lay their eggs in the sand to hatch in a 
month. When the young are hatched from the eggs, 
they have no tail, this terminal spine developing later. 

I have mentioned only a few of the many marine 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 



169 




Fig. 1 3— Corresponding Claws 
of Horse-shoe Crab 



animals found on the beaches of Provincetown, but 
I trust that enough have been mentioned to create 
some interest in the products which Nature has be- 
stowed so abundantly. "Nature never yet betrayed 
the heart that loved her," and to the one seeking 
wisdom in the line of natural history there is no better 
place than Provincetown. For the summer visitor, 
like Whittier's "Barefoot Boy," 



"Eschewing books and tasks, 
Nature answers all he asks." 



The Flowers 

THE number of green things growing on the hills, 
in the swamps, around the ponds, and along the 
shore is greater than one would expect who 
remembers that our native soil is pure sand rolled and 
washed and heaped up in naked bars by the sea, for 
Cape Cod, thrust out sixty miles into the ocean, forms 
the natural boundary between northern and southern 
species; stray specimens, from both north and south, 
brought here by the wind and tide, catch in and grow. 
Some seeds and cuttings have been brought home from 
oversea, as the giant willows along the streets all 
sprung from a slip from St. Helena. Some seeds, 
hidden in the ballast of vessels, have germinated and 
grown. Some plants once cultivated near the houses 
have now escaped and are growing wild, as the lilacs, 
houseleeks, spearmint and the bouncing Bets, brought 
in 1838 from Orleans. The collector working around 
the ponds needs patience, for the ponds have no 
connection one with another, and a single specimen 
may be found in one locality and nowhere else. 

I suppose that the seaweeds, green, red and brown, 
some so small as to appear like scum on the water, 
some like a young tree, are largely unexplored. Many 
varieties grow below the low-water mark, but after 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 171 

a storm the beach is covered with these, and with 
others brought from long distances. Mr. Frank S. 
Collins, a native of Eastham, was an authority on 
seaweeds. He has published in the Tufts College 
Studies an interesting account, with pictures and 
directions for collecting, preserving and classifying the 
seaweeds. 

Out of the swamps come a multitude of insects. 
Nearly a thousand different kinds of Provincetown 
insects are recorded in the Boston Society of Natural 
History. 

The Pilgrim Fathers describe the shore as wooded 
to the water's edge. They mention oaks, pines, sassa- 
fras, juniper, birch, holly vines, ash, walnut. These 
are still found, with the exception of the ash and 
walnut. I like to couple with this list by William 
Bradford, the words of Bradford Torrey which he 
calls, "A Pitch Pine Meditation." 

"The conifera are all symmetrical except the pitch 
pine. The Puritans of New England are mostly dead, 
but as long as the Pinus rigida covers the sandy knolls 
of Massachusetts, the sturdy, uncompromising, inde- 
pendent, economical, indefatigable, all-enduring spirit 
of Puritanism will be worthily represented in its 
sometime thriving-place." 

The flora of the tip end of Cape Cod has never 
been collected, except as loving friends have brought 
home and preserved beautiful specimens. Mrs. Effie 
L. Cook made a list which, like the work of most ama- 
teurs, may be open to correction. Her list, with a 
few additions, is as follows: 



172 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

Adder's Mouth {Pogonia ophioglossoides) 

Anemone 

Wild Azalea {Rhododendron viscosum) 

Apple of Peru {Datura stramonium) 

Asters, many kinds 

Balm of Gilead 

Bayberry {Myrica cerifera) 

Beach Pea {{Lathyrus maritimus) 

Beach Plum {Prunus maritima) 

Beach Grass {Ammophila arenaria) 

Black Alder {Ilex verticillata) 

High Bush Blackberry {Rubus) 

Running Blackberry {Rubus hispidus) 

Black Medick {Medicago lupulina) 

Horned Bladderwort {Utricularia cornuta) 

Bluets {Houstonia caerulea) 

Blueberry {Faccinium), several kinds 

Blue Flag, {Iris versicolor) 

Blue Toad Flax {Linaria canadensis) 

Blue-eyed Grass {Sisyrinchium) several 

Bouncing Bet {Saponaria officinalis) 

Green Brier {Smilax rotundifolia) 

Bunch Berry, {Cornus canadensis) 

Butter and Eggs {Linaria vulgaris) 

Buttercup {Ranunculus) many species 

Burdock {Arctium Lappa) 

Bedstraw, rough {Galium asprellum) 

Bedstraw, small {Galium trifidum) 

Bedstraw, sweet-scented {Galium triflorum) 

Buckwheat 

Calopogon {Calopgon pulchellus) 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 173 

Wild Carrot (Daucus Carotd) 
Cat-tails (Typha latifol'd) 
Cat-tails {Typha angustifolia) 
Catchfly {Silene noctiflora) 
Celendine (Chelidonium majus) 
Chickweed, (Stellaria) several 
Wild Cherry- 
Chicory {Cichorium Intybus) 
Choke Cherry (Prunus virginiana) 
Silvery Cinquefoil {Potentilla argentea) 
Common Cinquefoil {Potentilla canadensis) 
Red Clover {Trifoliuni pratense) 
Rabbit's foot Clover {Trifolium arvense) 
White Clover {Trifolium hybridum) 
Yellow Sweet Clover {Trifolium agrarium) 
Yellow Low Hop Clover {Trifolium procumbens) 
Club Rush, many species 
Wild Columbine {Aquilegia canadensis) 
Cow Wheat {Melampyrum lineare) 
Cranberry {Faccinium) several kinds 
Carex, a sedge, very many kinds 
Daisy {Chrysanthemum Leucanthemum) 
Daisy Fleabene {Erigeron annuus) 
Dandelion {Taraxacum officinale) 
Dusty Miller {Artemisia stelleriana) 
Dwarf Dandelion {Krigia virginica) 
Fall Dandelion {Leontodon autumnalis) 
Spreading Dogbane {Apocynum androsaemifolium) 
Dogwood {Rhus Vernix) 
Elderberry {Sambucus canadensis) 
Evening Primrose {Oenothera biennis) 



174 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

Everlasting, Pearly {Anaphalis margaritacea) 
Everlasting, Fragrant {Gnaphalium polycephalum) 
False Flax {Camelina sativa) 
Ferns, Sensitive {Onoclea sensibilis) 
Ferns, Shield or Wood Fern {Aspidium spinulosum in- 
termedium) 
False Solomon's Seal {Smilacina racemosa) 
Flowering Fern (Osmunda) three species 
Sweet Fern (Myrica asplenijolia) 
Fire Weed {Epilobium angustifolium) 
False Spikenard {Smilacina racemosa) 
Gall-of-the-earth (Prenanthes serpentaria) 
Purple Gerardia (Gerardia purpurea) 
Golden Club (Orontium aquaticum) 
Golden Rod, many kinds 
Grasses, many kinds 
Wild Grapes 

Hairy Hawkweed (Hieracium) 

Herb of St. Barbara {Barbarea vulgaris) 

Hog Cranberry, Bearberry {Arctostaphylos Uva-ursi) 

Houseleek (Sedum acre) 

Huckleberry (Gaylussacia resinosa) 

Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) 
Juniper, Red Cedar {Juniperus virginiana) 

Lady's Slipper {Cypripedium acaule) 

Ladies' Tobacco (Antennaria ) 

Wild Lettuce (Lactuca canadensis) 
White Water-lily (Nymphaea odorata) 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 175 

Red Wood Lily {Lilium philadelphicum) 

Yellow Pond Lily {Nuphar advend) 

Wild Yellow Lily {Lilium Canadense) 

Loosestrife (Lysimachia) two kinds 

Club-moss (Lycopodium) many kinds 

Wild Lily-of-the-valley {M aianthemum canadense) 

Common Mallow, "Cheeses" {Malva rotundijolia) 

Marsh Rosemary {Limonium Carolinianum) 

Meadowroot " " 

Sea Lavender " " 

May-weed {Anthemis) several 

Meadowsweet {Spiraa latifolia) 

Common Milkweed {Asclepias syriaca) 

Sand Milkweed 

Common Mullein {Ferbascum Thapsus) 

Moth Mullein {Ferbascum Blattaria) 

Dusty Miller 

Mustard {Brassica arvensis) 

Mustard {Brassica nigra) 

Wild Mints, Spearmint, Peppermint 

Nightshade {Solanum Dulcamara) 

Oaks {Quercus) several kinds 

White-fringed Orchis {Habenaria hlephariglottis) 

Yellow Oxalis, Yellow Wood Sorrel {Oxalis stricta) 

Peppergrass {Lepidium) several species 

Pipsissewa, Prince's Pine {Chimaphila umbellata) 

Pickerel Weed {Ponterderia cordata) 

Pine Weed {Hypericum gentianoides) 

Swamp Pink, Wild Azalia {Rhododendron viscosum) 

Pitcher Plant {Sarracenia purpurea) 

Pussy Willow {Salix discolor) 



176 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

Pitch Pine {Pinus rigida) 

Plantain {Plantago) 

Poison Ivy {Rhus toxicodendron) 

"Three leaves, foe; five leaves (Woodbine) 

friend." 
Pond Lily (Castalia odorata) 
Ragweed 

Rattlesnake Weed {Hieracium venosum) 
Wild Rose 

Wild Rye {Elymus arenarius) 
Common St. John's-wort {Hypericum perforatum) 
Large St. John's-wort {Hypericum canadense) 
Small St, John's-wort {Hypericum mutilum) 
Marsh St. John's-wort {Hypericum virginicum) 
Sand Spurrey {Spergularia marina) 
Sand Spurrey {Spergularia rubra) 
Broad-leaved Sandwort {Arenaria lateriflora) 
Sassafras {Sassafras variifolium) 
Bristly Sarsaparilla {Aralia hispida) 
Scarlet Pimpernel {Anagallis arvensis) 
Scotch Broom {Cytisus scoparius) 
Self-heal {Prunella vulgaris) 

Shad-bush, "Jose-pear" {Amelanchier ohlongifolia) 
Shepherd's Purse {Capsella Bursa-pastoris) 
Silver Oak 
Sorrel 

Yellow Wood Sorrel {Oxalis corniculata) 
Southernwood 

Seaside Spurge {Euphorbia polygonifolia) 
Star Flower {Trientalis americana) 
Steeple Bush, Hardhack {Spiraea tomentosa) 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 177 

Long-leaf Starwort or Stitchwort {Stellaria longijolid) 

Sumach, Staghorn {Rhus typhina) 

Sumach, Poison "dogwood" {Rhus Vernix) 

Strawberry 

Round-leaved Sundew {Drosera rotundifolia) 

Sundrops {Oenothera fruticosa) 

Sedges, many kinds 

Tansy {Tanacetum vulgare) 

Tupelo {Nyssa sylvatica) 

Willow 

White Water Lily {Nymphaea odorata) 

Woodbine {Ampelopsis quinquefolia) 

Wintergreen {Gaultheria procumbens) 

Spotted Wintergreen {Chimaphila maculata) 

Violet, Arrow-leaved 

Violet, Common Blue 

"Violet, White Canada 

Violet, White Meadow 

Yarrow {Achillea Millefolium) 

Yellow-eyed Grass {Xyris flexuosa) 



Birds of the Provincetown 
Region 

By Edward Howe Forbush, 
State Ornithologist 

THE list of birds given below should be regarded 
as incomplete and provisional. This list is 
based on two lists prepared by residents of the 
region. 

The late Mrs. Effie L. Cook, of Provincetown, 
sent me a list of land birds mainly observed there 
from 1880 to 1902, and Mr. Joseph G. Peters, Jr., of 
North Truro, has sent me a larger list obtained more 
recently, mainly in the region about his home. As 
North Truro lies next to Provincetown on the south, 
and as Mr. Peters is more or less familiar with Province- 
town and Truro, the two lists together may fairly 
represent the birds of the region. Acknowledgment 
is due Mr. Peters for his kindness. My own contribu- 
tion to the list is not large. 

The list lacks a number of birds of prey, sparrows, 
warblers, thrushes, etc., and some water birds and 
shore birds, which undoubtedly occur either regularly 
or casually in the region and eventually may be 
observed there and recorded. 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 179 

The names used in this list, with the exception of 
those of the Black Duck and the Red-legged Black 
Duck, are those used in the third edition of the Amer- 
ican Ornithologists Union Check-list, published in 1910. 
No attempt has been made to bring the names up to 
date. 



Explanation of Terms Used 

Resident— A species that remains in the region 
throughout the year. 

(a) Summer Resident — 

A species passing the summer in the region and 
presumably breeding, unless otherwise stated. 

(b) Winter Resident — 

A species passing the winter in the region. 

(c) Spring or Fall Migrant, usually both. 

Species that do not stay through either summer 
or winter in the region, but migrate through it. 

(d) Rare— 

This includes also some very rare birds; birds not 
listed as rare, occasional or accidental, may be 
more or less common. 

(e) Occasional Transient Visitant — 

Usually a migrant seen irregularly, or a seabird 
which rarely comes near shore. 
(/) Accidental Visitant — 

A bird out of its usual range through some accident, 
such as a severe storm, which sometimes drives 
birds over the sea far beyond their normal range. 



180 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

Holboell's Grebe {Colymbus holboelli) (b) 

Horned Grebe {Colymbus auritus) (e) In fall, winter 
or spring 

Pied-Billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) (c) 

Loon {Gavia immer) (c) Irregular, also in Winter 

Red-throated Loon (Gavia stellata) (b) 

Puffin {Fratercula arctica arctica) {e) Winter, off shore 

Black Guillemot {Cepphus Grylle) (b) Irregular off 
shore 

Brunnich's Murre (Uria lomvia lomvia) (b) Irregular 
off shore 

Razor-billed Auk (Jlca torda) (b) Irregular off shore 

Dovekie (Jlle alle) (b) Sometimes abundant off 
shore mainly 

Pomarine Jaeger (Stercorarius pomarinus) {e) Common- 
est in autumn offshore 

Parasitic Jaeger {Stercorarius parasiticus) {e) Common- 
est in autumn offshore 

Long-tailed Jaeger {Stercorarius longicaudus) (/) 

Kittiwake {Rissa tridactyla tridactyla) {b) Uncertain 
and irregular 

Glaucous Gull {Larus hyperboreus) {e) Uncertain and 
irregular, mainly in winter 

Iceland Gull {Larus leucopterus) {e) Uncertain and 
irregular, fall, winter or spring 

Great Black-backed Gull {Larus Marinus) {b) Occasion- 
al in summer 

Herring Gull {Larus argentatus) {a) Not known to 
breed. Abundant in winter 

Ring-billed Gull {Larus delawarensis) {c) 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 181 

Laughing Gull {Larus atricilla) {e) Mostly in summer. 

Increasing 
Bonaparte's Gull {Larus Philadelphia) (c) Also in 

winter more or less 
Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) (a) 
Arctic Tern (Sterna paradis^sa) (c) 
Roseate Tern (Sterna dougalli) (c) 
Least Tern (Sterna antillarum) (a) Observed at Truro 

July and August 1921 
Greater Shearwater (Puffinus gravis) (e) Common to 

abundant in summer on fishing banks 
Sooty Shearwater (Puffi-nus griseus) (e) Uncommon in 

summer on fishing banks 
Leach's Petrel (Oceanodroma leucorhoa) (e) 
Wilson's Petrel (Oceanites oceanicus) (c) Common at 

times oflF-shore in summer 
Gannet (Sula bassana) (c) An off-shore migrant 
Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus auri- 

tus (c) 
Merganser (Mergus americanus) (b) 
Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) (b) 
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) (b) (d) 
Mallard (Ayias platyrhynchos) (c) 
Red-legged Black Duck (Anas rubripes rubripes) (b) 
Black Duck (Anas rubripes tristis) Resident 
Baldpate (Mareca america?ia) (c) 
Green-winged Teal (Nettion carolinense) (b) (d) 
Blue-winged Teal (Ouerquedula discors) (c) 
Pintail (Dafila acuta) (c) (d) Seen irregularly in winter 
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) (a) (d) 
Scaup Duck (Marila marila) (b) 



182 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

Lesser Scaup Duck {Marila affinis) (c) 

Golden-eye {Clangula clangula americana) (b) 

BuflFle-head {Charitonetta albeola) (b) 

Old-squaw {Harelda hyemalis) (b) 

Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) (/) Winter 

Eider (Somateria dresseri) (c) Occasional in winter 

Scoter {Oidemia americana) (b) 

White-winged Scoter {Oidemia deglandi) (b) 

Surf Scoter (Oidemia perspicillata) (b) 

Ruddy Duck (Erismatura jamaicensis) (c) Has been 

known to breed 
Snow Goose {Chen hyperboreus hyperboreus) {c) {d) 
Canada Goose {Branta canadensis canadensis) {c) Seen 

sometimes in winter 
Brant {Branta bernicla glaucogastra) {c) 
Whistling Swan {Olor columbianus) {c) (d) 
Bittern {Botaurus lentiginosus) {a) 
Least Bittern {Ixobrychus exilis) {a) 
Great Blue Heron {Ardea herodias herodias) {c) (d) 

Seen every summer month 
Egret {Herodias egretta) {e) 

Green Heron {Butorides virescens virescens) {a) {d) 
Black-crowned Night Heron {Nycticorax Nycticorax 

ncevius) (a) About forty pairs nested within the 

region until 1920 
Virginia Rail {Rallus virginianus) (a) 
Sora {Porzana Carolina) {a) {d) 
Coot {Fulica americana) {c) 

Red Phalarope {Phalaropus fulicarius) {c) off-shore 
Northern Phalarope {Lobipes lobatus) {c) off-shore 
Woodcock {Philohela minor) {a) {d) Small flights pass 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 183 

Wilson's Snipe {Gallinago delicata) (c) 
Dowitcher {Macrorhamphus griseus griseus) (c) 
Knot {Tringa canutus) (c) 
Pectoral Sandpiper {Pisobia maculatd) (c) 
White-rumped Sandpiper {Pisobia fuscicollis) (c) 
Baird's Sandpiper {Pisobia bairdi) {c) {d) 
Least Sandpiper {Pisobia mi?iutilla) {c) 
Red-backed Sandpiper {Pelidna alpina sakhalina) {c) 
Semipalmated Sandpiper {Ereunetes pusillus) {c) 
Sanderling {Calidris leucophcea) {c) 
Marbled Godwit {Limosa fedoa) {e) {d) 
Hudsonian Godwit {Limosa hcemastica) {e) {d) former- 
ly common 
Greater Yellow-legs {Totanus melanoleucus) {c) 
Yellow-legs {Totanus flavipes) {c) uncommon in spring 
Solitary Sandpiper {Helodromas solitarius solitarius) {c) 
Upland Plover {Bartramia longicauda) {c) {d) 
Spotted Sandpiper {Actitis macularia) {a) 
Hudsonian Curlew {Numenius hudsonicus) {c) 
Black-bellied Plover {Squatarola squatarola) {c) 
Golden Plover {Charadrius dominicus dominicus) {c) 

{d) Formerly abundant 
Killdeer {Oxyechus vociferus) {c) 
Semipalmated Plover {yEgialitis semipalmata) {c) 
Piping Plover {lEgialitis nielodd) {a) 
Ruddy Turnstone {Arenaria interpres morinella) {c) 
Bob-white {Colinus virginianus virginianus) Now Hear- 
ing extirpation 
Mourning Dove {Zenaidura macroura carolinensis) 

Resident 
Marsh Hawk {Circus hudsonius) {a) 



184 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

Sharp-shinned Hawk {Accipiter velox) (a) 
Cooper's Hawk {Accipiter cooperi) {a) (d) 
Goshawk {Astur atricapillus atricapillus) (c) Winter 
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo borealis borealis) (c) 
Red-shouldered Hawk {Buteo lineatus lineatus) {c) {d) 
Rough-legged Hawk {Archibuteo lagopus sancti-johan- 

nis) {c) Winter 
Bald Eagle {Haliceetus leucocephalus leucocephalus) {c) {d) 
Duck Hawk {Falco peregrinus anatum) {c) {d) 
Pigeon Hawk {Falco columbarius columharius) {c) 
Sparrow Hawk {Falco sparverius sparverius) {c) 
Osprey {Pandion haliaetus carolinensis) (c) {d) 
Short-eared Owl {Asio flammeus) {a) {b) 
Barred Owl {Strix varia varia) {a) {b) 
Saw-whet Owl {Cryptoglaux acadica acadica) (c) {d) 
Screech Owl {Otus asio asio) Resident 
Great Horned Owl {Bubo virginianus virginianus {c) {b) 
Snowy Owl {Nyctea nyctea) {c) {d) Appears rarely in 

winter 
Yellow-billed Cuckoo {Coccyzus americanus americanus) 

{a) 
Black-billed Cuckoo {Coccyzus erythrophthalmus) {a) 
Belted Kingfisher {Ceryle alcyon) {a) 
Hairy Woodpecker {Dryobates villosus villosus) Resident 
Downy Woodpecker {Dryobates pudescens medianus) 

Resident 
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker {Shyrapicus varius varius) 

{c) {d) 
Red-headed Woodpecker {Melanerpes erythrocephalus) 

{e) {d) 
Northern Flicker {Colaptes auratus luieus) Resident 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 185 

Whip-poor-will {Antrostomus vociferus vociferus) (a) 

Chimney Swift {Choetura pelagica) (a) 

Ruby-throated Hummingbird {Archilochus colubris) (a) 

{d) 
Kingbird {Tyrannus tyrannus) (a) 
Crested Flycatcher {Myiarchus crinitus) (e) 
Phoebe {Sayornis phoebe) (a) 
Wood Pewee {Myiochanes virens) (a) 
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher {Empidonax flaviventris) (e) 
Least Flycatcher {Empidonax minimus) (a) (d) 
Horned Lark {Otocoris alpestris alpestris) (b) 
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata cristata) Resident 
Crow {Corvus brachyrhynchos brachyrhynchos) Resident 
Bobolink {Dolichonyx oryzivorus) {c) (d) 
Cowbird {Molothrus ater ater) (a) 
Red-winged Blackbird {Agelaius phoeniceus phceniceus) 

{a) 
Meadowlark {Sturnella magna magna) (a) 
Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius) (a) (d) 
Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) (a) 
Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) (c) (d) 
Purple Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula quiscula) (a) 
Bronzed Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula ceneus) (a) 
Evening Grosbeak (Hesperiphona vespertina vespertina) 

(c)Winter 
Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator leucura) (c) Winter 
Purple Finch (Carpodacus purpureus purpureus) (d) 

Resident 
Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra minor) (c) 
Redpoll (Acanthis linaria linaria) (b) (d) 
Goldfinch (Astragalinus tristis tristis) Resident 



186 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

Snow Bunting {Plectrophenax nivalis nivalis) (b) 
Lapland Longspur {Calcarius lapponicus lapponicus) 
{d) {e) In early winter 

Vesper Sparrow {Pooecetes gramineus gramineus) (a) 
White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys leuco- 
phrys) (c) {d) 

White-throated Sparrow {Zonotrichia albicollis) {c) (d) 
Tree Sparrow (Spizella monticola monticola) (b) (d) 
Chipping Sparrow {Spizella passerina passerina) {a) 
Field Sparrow {Spizella pusilla pusilla) {e) May breed 
^\a.l&-co\ovtd]\xnco {J unco hyemalishyemalis) {c) Winter 
Song Sparrow {Melospiza melodia melodia) {a) 
Swamp Sparrow {Melospiza georgiana) {a) {d) Fairly 

common in migration 
Fox Sparrow {Passerella iliaca iliaca) {c) 
Towhee {Pipilo erythrophthalmus erythrophthalmus) {a) 
Rose-breasted Grosbeak {Zamelodia ludoviciana) {a) 

{d) Pair and nest seen in 1920 by Mr. Peters 
Indigo Bunting {Passerina cyanea) {a) {d) 
Scarlet Tanager {Piranga erythromelas) {a) {d) 
Summer Tanager {Piranga rubra rubra) (/) Observed 

once by Mrs. Cook 
Purple Martin {Progne subis subis) {c) {d) 
Cliff Swallow {Petrochelidon lunifrons lunifrons) {a) 
Barn Swallow {Hirundo erythrogastra) {a) 
Tree Swallow {Iridoprocne hicolor) {a) 
Bank Swallow {Riparia riparia) {a) 
Cedar Waxwing {Bombycilla cedrorum) {a) 
Northern Shrike {Lanius borealis) {c) Winter 
Red-eyed Vireo {Vireosylva olivacea) {a) 
Warbling Vireo {Vireosylva gilva gilva) {a) 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 187 

Yellow-throated Vireo {Lanivireo flavifrons) (a) 
Blue-headed Vireo (Lanivireo solitarius solitarius) (c) 
White-eyed Vireo {Fireo griseus griseus) (a) 
Black and White Warbler {Mniotilta varia) (c) 
Northern Parula Warbler (Compsothlypis americana 

usnece) (a) (d) 
Yellow Warbler {Dendroica cestiva csstiva) (a) 
Black-throated Blue Warbler (Dendroica ccerulescens 

ccerulescens) (c) 
Myrtle Warbler (Dendroica coronata) (b) 
Magnolia Warbler (Dendroica magnolia) (c) 
Chestnut-sided Warbler (Dendroica pensylvanica) (a) 
Bay-breasted Warbler (Dendroica castanea) (c) 
Black-poll Warbler (Dendroica striata) (c) 
Blackburnian Warbler (Dendroica fusca) (c) 
Black-throated Green Warbler (Dendroica virens (d) (a) 
Pine Warbler (Dendroica vigorsi) (a) 
Yellow Palm Warbler (Dendroica palmarum hypcohry- 

sea) (c) 
Prairie Warbler (Dendroica discolor) (c) 
Oven-bird (Seiurus aurocapillus) (a) 
Northern Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas brachdi- 

actyla) (a) 
Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) (a) (d) 
Pipit (Anthus rubescens) (c) (d) 
Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos polyglottos) (b) (d) 
Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) (a) 
Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) (a) 
House Wren (Troglodytes aedon aedon) (a) (d) 
Winter Wren (Nannus hiemalis hiemalis) (b) 
Brown Creeper (Certhia familiaris americana) (c) 



188 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

White-breasted Nuthatch {Sitta carolinensis carolinen- 

sis) (b) 
Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) (b) 
Chickadee {Penthestes atricapillus atricapillus) Resident 
Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa satrapa) (b) 
Ruby-crowned Kinglet {Regulus calendula calendula) 

(c) 
Veery {Hylocichla fuscescens fuscescens) (a) (d) 
Olive-backed Thrush {Hylocichla ustulata szvainsoni) {c) 

(d) 
Hermit Thrush {Hylocichla guttata pallasi) {c) 
Robin {Planesticus migratorius migratorius) {a) Some 

winter irregularly 
Bluebird {Sialia sialis sialis) {a) 

Introduced Species 

Ringnecked Pheasant {Phasianus torquatus) {d) Resi- 
dent 
Starling {Sturnus vulgaris) Resident 
English Sparrow {Passer domesticus) Resident 



Gravestone Record, to 1850, 
in the old Cemetery 

Made by Mr. Edward H. Wharf 
Mr. Phillip L. Cobb 
Mr. Stanley W. Smith 

Published in the Mayflower Descendant. 

(An older Cemetery, with a few stones, and evident- 
ly unmarked graves, existed on Franklin Street, until 
fifty years ago.) 

ALLERTON 

Caroline, born 7 November 1823, died 17 
December 1844 

Ruth H., born 20 August 1834, died 17 De- 
cember 1844 

William J., born 11 July 1840, died 12 No- 
vember 1840 

Mary C, born 11 July 1840, died 1 December 
1840 

William J., born 23 April 1843, died 4 January 
1845 

William J., born 27 July 1848, died 14 August 
1849 

Six children of William and Ruth C. on one 
stone. 



190 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

ATKINS 

Benjamin, son of Benjamin E. and Elizabeth, 

drowned 29 October 1809 in his sixteenth 

year 
Benjamin E., died 29 November 1823, aged 54 
Bethiah, wife of Silas, died 29 July 1803, in 

her 36th year 
David, drowned 7 March 1828, aged 24. 

An affectionate husband and a tender 

parent 
Elizabeth, wife of Benjamin E., died 2 May 

1836, aged 35 
Elizabeth, daughter of Benjamin E. and 

Elizabeth, died 20 November 1806 aged 

1 year 9 months 
Joshua, son of Silas and Bethiah, died 2 May 

1803 in his ninth year 
Louisa, daughter of Capt. Jos. and Ruth, 

died 16 July 1808 aged 3 years 9 months 
Martha, daughter of Silas and Bethiah, died 

21 January 1803 in her 10th year 
Phoebe, wife of Richard White, died 5 No- 
vember 1803 aged 18 years 6 months 
Polly, wife of Benjamin E., died 3 May 1816 

aged 37 
Reuben, son of Capt. Jos. and Ruth, died 8 

August 1808 aged 8 
Sally, died 20 November 1800, aged 11 months 

9 days 
ATWOOD 

Barnabas, lost at sea 1834 (This should read 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 191 

1838) aged 28, (on stone with Isaac 

Paine) 
Bethiah, relict of Capt. Stephen, died 27 July 

1807 in her 72nd year 
Betsey R., daughter of Richard R. and Eliza- 
beth, died 16 April 1843 aged 10 
Elizabeth, wife of Richard R. died 31 July 

1847, aged 49 years and 10 months 
Jeremiah, born 23 May 1820, died 3 March 

1857 
Lydia S., born 23 May, 1820 died 10 January 

1827 

(These two on one stone) 
Stephen, died 29 September 1745, in his 39th 

year 
Stephen Jr., died 5 June 1794, in his 24th year 
Capt. Stephen, died 18 December 1802 aged 69 
BACON 

Mary, wife of Isaac, died 5 August 1727 aged 

27 years 10 months 
Alary, daughter of Isaac and Mary, died 18 

August 1727 aged 3 weeks 
BAKER 

Ruth, daughter of Thatcher, died 11 June 

1797 aged 6 weeks 
BEALS 

Mrs. Louvisa, formerly of Edgarton, died 26 

April 1841 aged 74 
BLANCHARD 

Betsey, wife of Ephraim, died 19 October 

1806 in her 23d year 



192 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

BOWLEY 

Asa Smith, died 27 December 1802, aged 30 
Elizabeth, wife of Oliver, died Jan. 1, 1844, 

aged 71 
Freeman M., son of Sarah, wife of Eleazer 

Young, died at Straits of Belle Isle, 23 

July 1818, aged 17 

(On the stone of his mother) 
Hannah, wife of Oliver deceased, died 30 

November 1813 in her 64th year 
Oliver, died 30 November 1794, in his 47th 

year 
Oliver, born 27 August 1775, died 6 January 

1854 

BRYANT 

Polly, wife of George, died 1 August 1821, 
aged 29 
BURCH 

Huldah E., wife of James, died 20 January 
1847, aged 32 years, 5 months, 25 days 
BUSH 

Desire, wife of William, died 11 May 1810 in 
her 48th year 

C 

R (a footstone) 

CATON 

Emanuel, born 13 November 1829, died 23 

March 1830 
Louisa A., born 9 November 1829, died 19 

July 1830 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 193 

Mary A., born 11 Feb. 1825, died 18 July 1830 
(These two last on one stone) 

CHAPPELL 

Jeremiah, son of Samuel and Tassey, of New 
London, Conn., drowned in Province- 
towji Harbor, 10 September 1815, in his 
32d year 

COLLINS 

Cynthia, daughter of Reuben and Mary, died 

13 May 1832, aged 18 years 10 months 
Emina, daughter of Richard and Emina, died 

August 1832, aged 26 
Mary, wife of Reuben, born 22 June 1783, died 

10 May 1861 
Reuben, born 17 July 1779, died 27 October 

1849 
Reuben, died 1 June 1798, aged 25 
Reuben, son of Reuben and Mary, died 5 

October 1817, aged 1 year 3 months. 

Also their six infant children 
Richard, died 18 October 1849, aged 75 
Richard, son of Richard and Emina, died 27 

July 1808, aged 5 

CONANT 

Cordelia, daughter of John and Lucy, died 3 

February 1828, aged 7 years and 2 months 

John, died 4 June 1809, in his 67th year 

Pattey, wife of John, died 22 May in her 62nd 

year, (On the stone with her husband. 

The year not given) 



194 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

Samuel, son of John and Lucy, died 23 March 

1823, aged 4 months 23 days 
Simeon Jr., died 28 May 1843, aged 32 
Capt. Simeon, died 26 July 1849, aged 69 
Susan A., wife of Capt. Simeon, died 3 July 

1820, in her 41st year 
Susanna, daughter of Simeon and Susanna, 

died 29 June 1848, aged 43 years 8 months 

18 days 



COOK 



Abigail, wife of Elisha, died 18 April 1800, 

aged 32 
Barzill S., son of David and Lydia, aged 6 

months (On his mother's stone) 
Betsey, wife of Solomon, died 13 October 1808 

aged 70 
Catherine, wife of Capt. Solomon, died 14 

May 1822, aged 54 
Cornelius, son of Ephraim and Rebecca, died 

19 February 1816, aged 11 months 
David, born 30 December 1775, died 16 June 

1849 
David Jr., son of David and Lydia, lost on 

passage from Boston to Port au Prince, 26 

January 1838, aged 30. (On his mother's 

stone) 
Emeline, daughter of Jesse and Thankful, 

died 14 March 1811, aged 11 months 22 

days 
Huldah, wife of David, died 28 December 

1802, aged 24 years 7 months 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 195 

Lemuel, son of Elisha and Abigail, died 25 

April 1800, aged 5 months 7 days (on 

his mother's stone) 
Lydia, wife of David, died 9 April 1812, aged 

32 
Mary P., widow of David, born 16 November 

1781, died 22 February 1851 
Nancy, wife of Newcomb, died 17 February 

1815, aged 28 
Paran, died 2 November 1808, in his 19th year 
Rebecca, wife of Solomon, died 19 August 

1788, in her 74th year 
Ruth, wife of Elisha, died 3 June 1810, aged 32 
Solomon, died 21 November 1781, in his 73d 

year 
Solomon, died 24 July 1819, in his 82d year 
Susanna, wife of David, born 28 September 

1769, died 10 August 1839 
COWING 

Desire, wife of John, died 8 February 1723-4 

in her 40th year 
(The oldest stone) 
CRAWLEY 

Andrew, Capt., drowned 24 September 1840, 

aged 273^ 
CROSS 

Jonathan K., son of Joseph and Rhodica, 

died 7 February 1844, aged 4 months and 

10 days 
CROWELL 

Catherine, wife of Solomon Jr., died 16 De- 



196 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

cember 1836, aged 62 (On the Crowell 

obelisk) 
David Francis, son of David and Lydia, died 

28 March 1839, aged 10 days 
Elisha, died 26 November 1845, aged 44 (On 

the obelisk) 
Eunice S., wife of Amaziah, died 28 August 

1830, aged 19 
Jane B., wife of Amaziah, died 14 April 1840, 

aged 35 
John Young, son of Amaziah and Jane B., 

died 4 September 1840, aged 8 months 

(On his mother's stone) 
Sarah Jane, daughter of Amaziah, died 25 

August 1832, aged 11 months 
Solomon Jr., died 28 March 1815, aged 45 

(On the obelisk) 
Solomon 2nd, perished on a wreck 14 October 

1825, aged 20 

CUTTER 

Joanna, wife of Josiah, died 13 September 1840 
aged 26 

DITSON 

Lawrence A., son of James L., and Rebecca, 
born 11 January 1842, died 2 July 1842 

Rebecca, wife of James L., born 30 October 
1819, died 27 January 1853 

Rebecca A., daughter of James L. and Rebecca 
born 12 December 1847, died 5 July 1851 

(These three on one stone) 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 197 

DUNHAM— DONHAM 

Rebecca P., daughter of Nathan and Sally, 

died 5 April 1839, aged 17 
Nathan, died 29 September 1850, aged 61 
Sally, wife of Nathan, died 20 January 1843, 

aged 50 
DYER 

Deliverance, widow, died 28 November 1836, 

in her 85th year 
Elijah, son of Elijah and Rebecca, died 26 

April 1826, aged 18 months 
, infant son of Elijah and Rebecca, 

died 1823 (On the stone with Elijah) 
Eunice B., daughter, of Henry and Sally, died 

29 April 1834, aged 2 years 9 months 14 

days 
Henry Jr., died 22 May 1821, aged 28 years 

8 months 
Joshua, died 28 November 1822, aged 37 
Nehemiah M., son of Henry and Sally, died 

6 October 1825, aged 8 months 4 days 
Pamelia Ann, daughter of Henry and Sally, 

died 28 June 1834, aged 4 years 6 months 
Peggy S., wife of William, died 5 April 1846, 

aged 78 
Sally, wife of Henry, died 16 July 1847, aged 46 
William, killed by lightning, 18 June 1819, 

aged 52 
EMERY 

James, son of James and Mary P., died 23 

May 1847, aged 4 years 



198 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

Nathan P., son of Joseph and Almira, born 

28 September 1856, died 22 October 1858 
Sarah M., daughter of Joseph and Almira, 

born 26 October 1845, died 21 September 

1847 
Also five infant children of Joseph and Almira 

on one stone 
EWELL 

Tryphena, wife of Lyman Ewell, also widow 

of Andrew Crawley, died 13 October 1848 

aged 32 
Mrs. Tryphena, daughter of Prince and Try- 

phene Freeman, born 1816, died 1848 (On 

the Scammons Hopkins obelisk) 
(Two records of the same person) 
FAIRBANKS 

Dolly W., daughter of David and Hannah, 

died 18 March 1828, aged V/i years 
five young children of David and 

Hannah buried between March 1828 and 

September 1844 
FOSTER 

William H., born 8 September 1838, died 21 

August 1840 
William P., born 10 October 1843, died 17 

August 1845 
William P., died 13 January 1862, aged 50 

years 15 days 
FREEMAN 

Catherine, wife of Charles, died 16 April 1827, 

aged 40 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 199 

Charles, died 12 February 1848, aged dl 
Charles H., son of Elisha and Phebe, died 

1 October 1826, aged 10 months 
Elisha, died 8 March 1825, aged 66 
Eliza, daughter of Elisha and Phebe, died 

6 November 1821, aged 16 months 
Elizabeth, wife of Hatsuld, died 15 December 

1839, aged 48 
Hatsuld, died 9 February 1844, aged 56 
Joseph, died 14 August 1844, aged 563^2 
Josiah, son of Joseph and Phebe, died 10 

November 1836, aged 10 years 6 months 
Also two sons and two daughters of 

Joseph and Phebe, died in infancy (On 

stone of their brother Josiah) 
Josiah K., son of Charles and Catherine, 

lost at sea 1829, aged 21 (On his father's 

stone) 
Lydia, wife of Elisha, died 1 April 1821, aged 

54 
Mary, daughter of Warren and Mary, died 

4 July 1831, aged 19 
Nabby, wife of Joshua, died 11 July 1822, 

aged 34 
Nabby, daughter of Joshua and Nabby, died 

10 October 1828, aged 1 month (Nabby 

the wife and Nabby the daughter are on 

one stone. Evidently one date is wrong) 
Phebe, widow of Joseph, died 9 May 1857, 

aged 67 years 6 months 
Prince, died 12 April 1847, aged 72 



200 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

(Also on the Scammons Hopkins obelisk) 
Sally, wife of Elisha, died 12 July 1824, aged 38 
Sally E., daughter of Hatsuld and Elizabeth, 

died 14 February 1825, aged 10 years 4 

months 15 days 
Tryphena, wife of Prince, 14 February 1842, 

aged 59 (Also on the Scammons Hopkins 

obelisk) 
Warren, died 15 December 1827, aged 56 
Warren Jr., died 16 April 1848, aged 31 years 

10 months 10 days 
William W., son of Nathaniel and Mercy K., 

died 27 August 1849, aged 1 year 10 

months 4 days 
GALACOR 

Mary, daughter of William and Mary, died 

21 April 1802, aged 5 months 19 days 
William, son of William and Mary, died 5 

November 1800, aged 11 months 12 days 



GHEN 



GROSS 



Daniel H., son of Capt. Samuel and Ann, 
died 17 August 1835, aged 3 years 1 
month 26 days 

Samuel A., son of Capt. Samuel and Ann, 
died 26 July 1835 (Both on one stone) 

Alexander, 1757-1828 (A Revolutionary Sol- 
dier) 

Betesy, died 5 September 1831, aged 32 years 
(On the Crowell obelisk) 

Elizabeth, daughter of Micah and Elizabeth, 
died 3 April 1786, aged 7 years 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 201 

Elizabeth Creed, wife of Alexander, 1767- 

1819 (On her husband's stone) 
Joshua, son of J. & B. lost at sea in April 1849, 

aged 18 years (on the Crowell obelisk) 
Solomon C, son of J. & B,, lost at sea in May 

1837, aged 19 years (On the Crowell 

obelisk) 
HANNUM 

Elizabeth B., daughter of Charles A. and 

Olive N., died 7 April 1845, aged 2 years 

6 months 22 days 
HARTFORD 

Eliza N., daughter of Richard C. and Martha 

M., died 25 October 1845, aged 4 years 

4 months 16 days 
Martha, daughter of Richard C. and Martha 

M., died 20 October 1845, aged 2 years 

6 months 20 days 
HATCH 

Elizabeth, wife of Rodolphus, died 10 October 

1727, aged 46 years 



HILL 



Caleb Dyer, son of John and Susanna, died 
29 March 1803, aged 2 years 3 months 26 days 
John, son of John, died from home, 16 De- 
cember 1814, aged 26 years (on his 
father's stone) 
John, died 10 August 1822, aged Id years 
Rebecca N., daughter of Caleb D. and Par- 
melia, died 30 June 1833, aged 3 years 
9 months 9 days 



202 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

Susanna, wife of John, died 18 July 1830, 
aged 74 

HINCKES 

Tempy, wife of Elisha, died 22 April 1798, aged 
22 years, 8 months 

HINCKLEY 

Joshua, died 15 August 1808, in his 32d year 
Sarah, wife of Allen, died 7 March 1799, in 
her 24th year 

HOLMES 

Saviah, wife of Capt. Elisha, died 24 Decem- 
ber 1817, aged 30 years 

HOPKINS 

James A., lost at sea 1836, aged 26 years 

(On the stone with Scammons Hopkins 
who died in 1835) 

Mary, wife of Deacon Jonathan, died 12 
October 1814, in her 58th year 

Mary, widow of Phineas, died 27 April 1838, 
aged 52 years 

Nabby, wife of Scammons, died 23 July 1821, 
aged 52 years (on the stone with her 
husband) 

Phineas, died 19 January 1833, aged 51 years 

Scammons, died 15 December 1822, aged 52 
years (On the stone with Nabby) 

Scammons, died 26 March 1835, aged 38 years 
(On the stone with James A. Hopkins) 

Scammons, born 1798, died 1837. First hus- 
band of Mrs. Patty Pierce 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 203 

HOWES 

Abigail, wife of David, died 31 March 1804, 

in her 28th year 
Daniel, died 28 July 1802, in his 26th year 
Daniel, son of Daniel and Polly, died 29 

August 1802, aged 10 months 27 days 
Priscilla, wife of Joshua, died 19 May 1800, in 

her 22d year 
Reuben, son of David and Abigail, died 5 

March 1800, aged 2 years 5 months 10 

days 
Reuben Orcutt, son of David and Abigail, 

died 30 March 1798, aged 1 year 7 

months 24 days 

JOSEUS 

Eliza A., daughter of Joseph and Olive, born 
30 June 1835, died 17 January 1836 

KILBORN or KILBURN 

Betsey, the wife of David, died 16 July 1794, 

aged 28 years 
Betty, wife of Thomas, died 13 August 1746, 

in her 20th year 
Thomas, died 4 August 1794, in his 76th year 
William, died 6 November 1785, in his 27th 

year 

KINNEY 

Hannah, daughter of John and Hannah, died 
6 September 1781, aged 11 months 

Nehemiah, son of John and Hannah, died 25 
September 1780, in his 2nd year 



204 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

KNOWLES 

Josiah, born 14 June 1782, died 25 February 

1850 
Mercy, widow of Josiah, born 13 October 
1782, died 8 November 1850 (on her 
husband's stone) 
LANCY 

Jane, daughter of Benjamin and Jane, died 
16 August 1816, aged 9 years 6 months 
LARRY 

Mrs. Louis, died 14 March 1807, aged 38 years 
MAYO 

Joanna, wife of Joseph, died 9 October 1822 

in her 27th year 
Joshua A., died 25 June 1816, aged 58 years 
Thomas, son of Joshua Atkins and Martha, 

died 3 December 1807, in his 19th year 
(Five infant children of Joshua and Martha on 
the stone with Thomas) 
MIERS 

William, born 1 November 1798, died 25 
September 1854 
MILLER 

Rebecca, wife of William, died 20 October 
1795, in her 30th year 
NEWCOMB 

Mrs. Elizabeth, died 30 October 1805, aged 
6' vears 
NICHOLSON 

Abigail, wife of George, died 11 February 
1798, in her 21st year 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 205 

Ebenezer, died 8 December 1792, in his 48th 
year 

NICKERSON 

Abigail C, daughter of William and Abigail C, 

died 18 August 1804, aged 14 days 
Abigail C, wife of William, died 5 May 1818, 

aged 41 years 
Anna, daughter of Josiah and Sally, died 19 

September 1793, aged 17 months 5 days 
Apphia, wife of Reuben, died 22 July 1811, 

aged 29 years 
, son of Reuben and Apphia, died 

8 August 1811, aged 2 months 8 days. 

Her only issue (On his mother's stone) 
Bethiah, widow of Capt. Isaiah, died 26 Jan- 
uary 1806, in her 24th year (On the stone 

with her husband) 
Bethiah, widow of Jonathan, died 19 October 

1834, aged 79 years 
Betsy, daughter of Jonathan and Bethiah, 

died 26 October 1805, in her 10th year 
Betsy Eliza, daughter of Simeon C. and 

Sarah, died 15 December 1837, aged 10 

months 10 days 

(On the stone with her brother John W.) 
Ebenezer, died 15 February 1768, in his 71st 

year 
Elijah, son of Elijah and Jemima, died 13 

August 1763, aged 13 months 



206 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

Elijah, son of Elijah and Jemima, died 10 

February 1777, aged 2 years 9 months 
Elijah, son of Joseph and Lucy, died 6 Octo- 
ber 1800, aged 13 months 5 days 
Elisha, son of Elijah and Jemima, died 12 

September 1780, aged 1 year 2 months 
Eliza S., daughter of Seth and Elizabeth S., 

born 19 August 1819, died 28 October 

1832 
Elizabeth, wife of Ebenezer, died 27 February 

1789, in her 83d year 
Mrs. Elizabeth, died 24 August 1828, aged 84 

years 
Hannah, daughter of Seth and Mary, died 

6 February 1772, aged 12 years 
Hannah, wife of Nehemiah,died26 September 

1846, aged 69 years 3 months 13 days 
Hannah K., daughter of William and Abigail 

C, died 4 February 1800, aged 16 months 
Isabella, wife of Seth, died 3 August 1837, aged 

85 years 
Isaiah, Capt., drowned at Bonavesta 26 May 

1806, in his 29th year (On the stone of his 

wife Bethiah) 
Jemima Atkins, daughter of the late Mr. 

Josiah and Ruth, died 30 September 

1805, aged 1 year 
John, died 13 October 1825, aged 25 years 
John W., son of Simeon and Sarah, died 8 

May 1839, aged 3 years 7 months (On 

the stone with his sister Betsey E.) 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 207 

Jonathan, son of William and Abigail C, 

died 20 July 1802, aged 10 months 
Jonathan, died 17 June 1807, in his 53d year 
Joseph, son of Joseph and Lucy, died 10 

August 1801, aged 8 days 
Joseph, son of Joseph and Sally, died 31 July 

1808, aged 15 months 18 days 
Joshua, died 22 October 1794, in his 32d year 
Josiah, son of Josiah and Sally, died 2 August 

1794, aged 7 months 3 days 
Linda, wife of Nathaniel, died 19 August 1819, 

aged 39 (On the stone with her son 

Nathaniel, Jr.) 
Louisa, daughter of Thomas and Patty, died 

14 March 1828, aged 6 months 
Lucy, wife of Joseph, eldest daughter of 

Simeon Jenkins of Barnstable, died 8th 

September 1801, in her 23d year 
Martha, widow of Seth, died 28 August 1817, 

aged 82 
Mary, wife of James, died 15 September 1789, 

aged 19 years 
, infant son of James and Mary, 

(On the stone with the Mary who died 

1789) 
Mary, wife of James, died 27 April 1796, aged 

23 years 
Mary, wife of Josiah, died 24 January 1799, 

aged 24 years 
Mary L., died 7 March 1823, aged 7 years 

9 months 



208 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

NICKERSON 

Nabby Y., daughter of Nathaniel and Linda, 

died 1 August 1808, aged 7 months 6 days 
Nathaniel, died 27 July 1823, aged 48 
Nathaniel Jr., drowned 13 May 1820, aged 

17 years 8 months (On the stone with 

Linda, wife of Nathaniel) 
Deacon Nehemiah, died 31 January 1804 in 

his 79th year 
Phebe, wife of Capt. Elisha, died 22 Septem- 
ber 1809, in her 25th year 
, infant daughter of Capt. Elisha 

and Phebe, died 26 November 1809, aged 

2 months 13 days (on its mother's stone) 
Phineas, son of Phineas and Phebe, died 23 

July 1800, aged 2 years 6 months 23 

days 
Sally, wife of Josiah, died 3 March 1794, in 

her 21st year 
Sally, daughter of Seth and Isabel, died 4 

March 1796, aged 7 years 
Sally, daughter of Josiah and Mary, died 28 

November 1798, aged 20 months 
Sally, daughter of Jonathan and Bethiah, 

drowned 1 October 1808, aged 2 years 

8 months 
Sally, wife of Caleb, died 30 June 1827, aged 26 
Salome, wife of Ebenezer, died 11 June 1804, 

in her 36th year 
Sarah, wife of Simeon C, died 5 July 1839, 

aged 28 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 209 

(On the stone with her husband) 
Seth, died 10 September 1789, in his 56th year 
Seth, died 11 April 1801, aged 63 years 
Simeon C, lost at sea, in 1837, aged 28 

(On the stone of his wife Sarah) 
Susanna, wife of Phineas, died 19 May 1802, 

aged 64 years 
, infant of Timothy and Mary H., 

died 3 April 1843 
, infant of Timothy and Mary H., 

died 29 April 1844 

infant of Timothy and Mary H., 



died 26 October 1851 
(These three on one stone) 

Uriah, son of Elijah and Jemima, died 24 
October 1788, aged 12 days 

William, son of William and Abigail C, died 
23 September 1796, aged 14 months 

W^illiam, died 4 January 1817, aged 45 years 
ORCOTT 

Hannah, widow of Reuben, died 13 Novem- 
ber 1825, aged 67 

Reuben, died 16 September 1814, in his 60th 
year 



PAINE 



Abigail, wife of Isaac, died 6 July 1834, aged 31 
Elkanah, son of Henry and Mercy, died 10 
October 1803, aged 4 years 9 months 
14 days 
Enos N., son of Lot and Olive, died 20 Novem- 
ber 1832, aged 11 months 15 days 



210 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

Isaac, son of Moses and Priscilla, died 10 

October 1799, aged 4 years (on the stone 

with his sister Priscilla) 
Isaac, son of Isaac and Sylvia, died 7 Septem- 
ber 1848, aged 1 month (On the stone 

with his brother Isaac B.) 
Isaac B., son of Isaac and Sylvia, died 7 

August 1848, aged 2 years 6 months 
Isaac, died 27 August 1855, aged 54 years 

(On the stone with Barnabus Atwood) 
Capt. Lot, died 11 May 1853, aged 64 years 
Mary, wife of Henry, died 27 October 1797, 

in her 31st year 
Mercy, daughter of Henry and Mercy, died 

5 November 1803, aged 2 years 4 months 

15 days 
Olive, wife of Lot, died 5 September 1847, 

aged 53 years 
Phineas, son of Isaac and Abigail, died 26 

July 1824, aged 11 months 
Phineas, son of Isaac and Abigail, died 29 

June 1832, aged 7 years 
Prissa, daughter of Moses and Priscilla, died 

11 October 1799, aged 2 years (On the 

stone with her brother Isaac) 
Stephen H., died 15 November 1848, aged 

21 years 2 months 
Susan N., daughter of Isaac and Abigail, died 

25 December 1834, aged 6 months 22 

days 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 211 

Mrs. Sylvia, died 17 May 1872, aged 65 years 

9 months 17 days 

PALMER 

William, died 17 September 1834, aged 44 

PARK 

Eliza N., daughter of EHsha and Susanna, 
died 18 June 1844, aged 7 years 8 months 

Ellen N., daughter of Elijah and Susanna, 
died 4 January 1845, aged 3 years 1 month 

10 days 

Susanna, wife of Elisha, died 14 April 1844, 
aged 32 

PARKER 

Rev. Samuel, born in Barnstable 18 Novem- 
ber 1740, died 11 April 1812. The first 
settled minister in Provincetown. Was 
ordained in Provincetown in the autumn 
of A. D. 1769 

Mary, wife of the Rev. Samuel, died 20 No- 
vember 1785, in her 32d year. Best of 
wives, tenderest of mothers 

PARRY or PERRY 

Rebecca, wife of Richard, died 29 June 1798, 

in her 53d year 
Richard Jr., died 30 April 1805, aged 31 
Mrs. Elizabeth, died 12 January 1812, in her 

40th year 
Richard, born 6 June 1805, died 25 November 

1873 



212 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

PARSONS 

John W. B., son of Joshua and Ann, died 30 
August 1856, aged 2 years 22 days 

Martha Ellen, daughter of Joshua and Ann, 
died 20 February 1852, aged 5 days 

Mary Jane, daughter of Joshua and Ann, 
died 27 August 1850, aged 22 months 
(These three on one stone) 
PECK 

Bethiah, wife of Dr. Stephen, died 27 Septem- 
ber 1810, in her 23d year 

Dr. Stephen, died 1 August 1818, aged 41 years 

PIERCE 

Patty, widow of Scammons Hopkins, of Wil- 
liam Miers, and of William Pierce, 
daughter of Prince and Tryphena Free- 
man, born 1802, died 25 December 1864 

William, 3rd husband of Patty, born 1794, 
died 1860 

(Both on the Scammons Hopkins obelisk) 



RICH 



Betsey A., daughter of Solomon and Sally, 
died 28 June 1833, in her 19th year 

Solomon S., son of Solomon and Sally, lost 
at sea in the summer of 1831, in his 23d 
year (On the stone with his sister Betsey) 

Deacon Solomon, died 14 January 1855, aged 
75 years 

Sarah, wife of Deacon Solomon, died 9 Aug- 
ust 1846, in her 73d year 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 213 

RIDER or RYDER 

Anna, wife of David, died 1 May 1820, aged 55 
Atkins, son of Samuel and Lydia, died 19 

August 1794, aged 16 months 
Benjamin, died 29 December 1759, in his 73d 

year 
Benjamin, son of Samuel and Lydia, died 7 

March 1796, in his 5th year 
Benjamin, son of David and Lucy, died 10 

August 1827, aged 7 months 
David, died 1 April 1760 in his 24th year 
Deacon David, died 12 February 1841, aged 
79 years (On the stone with Capt. Wil- 
liam) 
Ebenezer, died 16 March 1809, aged 74 
Elisha, son of David and Anna, died 21 De- 
cember 1795, aged 1 year 8 months 
Experience, wife of Samuel, died 21 December 

1745, aged 40 years 
Rebecca, widow of Thomas, died 13 Decem- 
ber 1793, in her 54th year 
Samuel, died 6 January 1745-6, aged 45 years 
Sylva, wife of Isaiah, died 8 January 1823, 

aged 49 
Thomas, died 8 October 1786, aged 49 years 
William, Capt., drowned at sea 21 September 
1835, aged 29 years (on the stone of 
Deacon David) 

RIDLEY 

Elizabeth, wife of Thomas, died 14 April 1792, 
aged 74 



214 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

ROBERTS 

George N., son of Charles W. and Ruth S., 
born 13 September 1849, died 13 Septem- 
ber 1850 (On his mother's stone) 

James, son of David and Margaret, died 10 
November 1848, aged 14 months 7 days 

Ruth S., wife of Charles W., born 18 January 
1828, died 7 August 1850 (On the stone 
with George N.) 

ROTCH 

Samuel, son of William and Mary, died 22 
May 1736, in his 15th year 

SEARS 

Joseph, born 27 May 1803, died 3 October 1853 
Olive P., daughter of Joseph and Hannah, 
died 7 A4ay 1842, aged 1 year 9 months 
5 days (On the stone with Joseph) 

SMALL 

Heman, died 24 July 1838, aged 32 years 
Mehitable, wife of Lot, died 30 November 

1842, aged 22 
Polly, wife of Isaac, died 7 August 1826, aged 

52 
Samuel, died 28 April 1856, aged 84 years 
Thomas, R. died 13 March 1839, aged 25 

years 

SMALLEY 

Betsey, wife of Thomas, died 12 November 
1803, in her 37th year 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 215 

Hicks, son of Samuel and Sarah, lost at sea 

30 October 1823, aged 25 
Loiza W., daughter of Capt. Thomas and 

Hannah, died 5 April 1807, aged 7 

months 
three infant daughters of Capt. 

Thomas and Betsey (On the stone with 

Loiza W.) 
Mary, wife of Taylor, died 4 January 1815, 

in her 52d year 
Sarah, wife of Samuel, died 26 September 

1830, aged 52 
Taylor, died 1 May 1835, aged 71 
Uriah, son of Samuel and Sarah, lost at sea 

26 July 1824, aged 20 
(Hicks, Sarah, and Uriah all on one stone) 



SMITH 



Elizabeth, wife of Seth, died 25 December 

1803, in her 58th year 
Esther, wife of Ebenezer, died 14 February 

1823, aged 33 
Hannah, daughter of Richard P., and Sally, 

died 29 September 1835, aged 1 year 
Harriet, daughter of Richard F. and Sally, 

died 11 September 1828, aged 18 months 

9 days 
Heman N., son of Jonah E. and Clarissa, died 

6 September 1841, aged 8 months 
Heman N., son of Jonah E. and Clarissa, died 

5 October 1843, aged 11 months 



216 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

Josiah, son of Jonah E. and Clarissa, died 12 

August 1839, aged 13 months 

(These three on one stone) 

James Jr., died 1 October 1807, in his 25th year 

Lorilla, daughter of Richard F. and Sally, 

died 29 September 1838, aged 11 months 

Mary, wife of Joshua, died 21 October 1831, 

aged 41 
Mary, wife of Capt. Ebenezer, died 23 De- 
cember 1833, aged 40 
Ruth, wife of Seth, died 29 August 1829, aged 

59 
Seth, died 17 November 1802, in his 60th year 
Seth, died 20 July 1835, aged 64 
Susanna, wife of Edward, died 20 August 1848 
aged 54 years 9 months 



SOPER 



Betsy, wife of Capt. Samuel, died 15 April 

1826, aged 30 years 
Eben N., son of Capt. Samuel and Eveline, 

died 23 September 1836, aged 2 years 6 

months 
Elisha H., son of Capt. Samuel and Betsy, 

died 10 September 1826, aged 5 months 

12 days 
Eveline N., 31 May 1804: 9 October 1900 

, infant died 3 November 1818 

Salome C, daughter of Capt. Samuel and 

Eveline, died 17 April 1832, aged 4 years 

4 months 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 217 

Capt. Samuel, died 8 December 1860, aged 
69 years 4 months (above all on the 
Soper obelisk) 
Isabel, daughter of Robert and Isabel, died 
17 August 1796, aged 9 months 8 days 
STONE 

Elizabeth A., daughter of Rev. Nathaniel and 

Mary, died 26 June 1816, aged 13 
John Andrew, son of Rev. Nathaniel and 
Mary, died 18 April 1813, aged 9 years 
SWIFT 

Josiah, son of John and Lydia, died 5 Sep- 
tember 1816, aged 1 year 9 months 15 
days 
TALCOTT 

Capt. John, of Glastonbury, Conn., son of 
Deacon Benjamin. Died here on his re- 
turn after the victory obtained at Cape 
Breton, A. D. 1845, in his 41st year 

THOMAS 

Orasmus Esq., born at Brookfield, Mass. 18 

March 1771, died at Provincetown 2 

November 1822 
Orasmus Jr., born at Provincetown 17 June 

1808, died at Port au Prince 11 January 

1841 (both on one stone) 



TUBBS 



Dorcas, died 11 July 1811, aged 49 
Nathan, lost at sea, aged 33 
Nathan Jr., lost at sea 11 July 1816 aged 19 
(All on one stone) 



218 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

WALKER 

Jabez, died 24 December 1798, aged 19 years 
WATKINS 

Sarah, widow of Capt. Thomas, died 27 

August 1831, aged 11 
Thomas, died 20 July 1824, aged 73 
WEEKS 

Ruth, Mrs., daughter of Prince and Tryphena 

Freeman, born 1819, died 1844 (On the 

Scammons Hopkins obelisk) 
Ruth, wife of John C, died 27 August 1844, 

aged 25 years. (Two records of the same 

person) 
WELLS 

Sarah H., daughter of Edward and EHzabeth 

A., died 27 August 1849, aged 7 months 

13 days 
WHORF 

Jonathan F., died 16 November 1820, in his 

20th year 
Sarah Ann, wife of John died 9 December 

1791, in her 64th year 
WINSLOW 

James, lost at sea 2 March 1846, aged 27 years 
Mary S., died 25 October 1892, aged 72 
YOUNG 

David, born 7 March 1758, died 30 October 

1832 
Capt. David, born 15 February 1795, died 

19 September 1872 
Eleazer, son of Eleazer and Rebecca, died 24 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 219 

January 1829, aged 37 years 2 months 

24 days 
Eleazer, died 1 January 1832, aged 72 (On 

stone with William N.) 
Elizabeth, widow of David, born 17 August 

1764, died 10 December 1840 
Fanny, wife of Nehemiah, died 22 December 

1831, aged 30 
Hannah, wife of David, died 13 March 1847, 

aged 463^ years 
Hannah S., daughter of Eleazer and Rebecca, 

died 1 March 1837, aged 11 years 4 

months 
Isaiah, son of Elisha and Hannah, died 9 

June 1803, aged 3 years 6 months 
Isaiah, died 5 September 1815, aged 34 
Nabby, wife of Reuben, died 15 April 1794 

in her 33d year 
Nehemiah, died 17 June 1877, aged 80 years, 

9 months 24 days 
Phebe H., daughter of Nehemiah and Fanny, 

died 18 December 1822, aged 6 months, 
Rebecca, wife of Eleazer, died 18 April 1804, 

in her 47th year 
Rebecca, wife of David, died 8 December 

1849, aged 57)^ years 
Sarah, wife of Eleazer, died 17 June 1823, 

aged 53 years (on stone with her son 
Freeman M. Bowley) 
Mrs. Tamsin, died 23 January 1887, aged 
88 years 22 days 



220 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

William N., son of Eleazer, lost at sea 1831, 
aged 24 (On the stone of Eleazer, who 
died 1832) 



List of Teachers in the 
Provincetown High School 

PRINCIPALS 

1849 — Freeman Nickerson 

1852 — James Crocker 

1853 — James T. Allen 

1854 — E. Albee, for seven weeks 
1854— Freeman N. Blake 

1855 — Eben S. Whittemore 

1856 — The school was discontinued 

1857 — A. L. Putnam 

1858 — Alexander Rankin 

1860 — Isaac Smith 

1861 — Harrison Leland 

1861 — Albert Stetson 

1862 — Edward B. McCarty 

1863 — Henry Leonard 

1863 — Samuel G. Stone 

1864 — Solomon H. Brackett 

1865 — Ansel O. Burt 

1870 — Henry F. Burt 

1871 — Mr. Sheldon 

1872 — Albert F. Blaisdell 



222 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

1875 — A. G. Fisher 
1878 — J. B. Hingeley 
1882 — A. M. Osgood 
1884— Charles D. Seeley 
1884— Frank Wiggin 
1889 — S.H.Baker 
1891 — W. M. McKenzie 
1891 — W. H. Walralf 
1891 — Ira Jenkins 
1907 — Percy C. Giles 

1909 — Charles P. Savary 

1910 — A. L. Bennett 

1911 — Charles A. Sprout 

1911 — M. F. Holbrook 

1912 — Alvin Thomas 
1915— Albert Norris 
1915 — Aubrey F. Hills 
1919 — Edith L. Bush 
1921 — William H.Winslow 

ASSISTANTS 

C. A. Rogers 
Eliza A. Cook 
Anna M. Kittridge 
Mary Cook Johnson 
Lucia N. Cook 
Lizzie Chase 
Sara A. Hamlin 
Hattie F. Weeks 
Nancy W. Paine 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 223 

Emma Baxter 

Lucinda W. Whorf 

Alice Shortle 

Emma Gardner 

Phoebe E. Freeman 

Carra Wilcox 

Jennie G. Freeman 

Isabelle Gilpatrick 

Ruth E. Thomas 

Elizabeth Moseley 

Martha E. Fernald 

Joyce Bisbee 

Stephen Fitzgerald 

Penelope Kern 

Elsie G. Moreau 

Porter G. Penn 

Kathleen Donovan 

Sarah A. Everett 

Benjamin Bissell 

Mrs. Osmond Cummings Jr. 

Ann Featherstone 

Adeline Wetmore 

Phillip Skerry 

and others 



Roster of the Provincetown 
Seminary 1845-6 

Gentlemen's Department 



Benjamin D. Atkins 
Alfred Adams 
Peter Avery 
Joseph Russell Atkins 
Henry F. Baker 
Reuben L, Bangs 
Benjamin Brown 
Paul L. Bangs 
Oliver E. Bailey 
Elisha Baker 
William Bulger 
Benjamin D. Crocker 
Atkins D. Cook 
Joseph Cook 
Ephraim P. Cook 
Reuben F. Cook 
William Clark 
John Curren 
E. Kibbe Cook 
Benjamin Coan 



Elisha W. Cobb 
Nathaniel Covell 
Lamuel Cook 
Benjamin Crosby 
Oliver B. Conant 
Cornelius Cook 
James Cashman 
David R. Cook 
Phineas Cutter 
William T. Collins 
Elisha Cook 
Daniel N. Clark 
Henry T. Dyer 
Atkins Dyer 
William L. Dyer 
Amasa Dyer 
William T. Dutton 
Nehemiah M. Dyer 
James S. Dyer 
John Evans 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 



225 



John L. Eldridge 
Oren R. Dunham 
James C. Dunham 
Thomas Watkins Dyer 
Nathan D. Freeman 
Francis C. Freeman 
Ezra Freeman 
Augustus M. Freeman 
Jesse Freeman 
Asa A. Franzen 
Nathaniel Freeman 
Samuel H. Ghen 
John M. Gill 
Henry S. Ghen 
Alexander Galer 
E. Henry Harvender 
N. P. Holmes 
James M, Holmes 
James Hopkins 
Solomon Higgins 
Haskell P. Higgins 
James Kenyon 
John W. Lovejoy 
Phillip Lovejoy 
Albert W. Lavender 
John R. Lavender 
Joseph A. Lavender 
Edmund B. Lord 
Henry J. Lancy 
Phillip C. Lewis 
Atwood Mott 



Silas Mott 
H. S. Miller 
Francis C. Miller 
Charles E. Morgan 
George W. Nickerson 
Solomon D. Nickerson 
Joshua Nickerson 
Charles W. Nickerson 
Amos Nickerson 
Stephen T. Nickerson 
Solomon Newcomb 
James Nickerson 
Richard Elliot Nickerson 
Jesse Nickerson 
Frederic W. Proctor 
Abner L. Pettis 
Lysander N. Paine 
Henry Paine 
Michael A. Parker 
Xenophon Rich 
James N. Rich 
David Ryder 
William T. Ryder 
Benjamin Ryder, Jr, 
Thomas Ryder 
Henry Ryder 
Reuben C. Small 
Abram Small 
Alexander Small 
Uriah Small 
George O, Smith 



226 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 



Freeman A. Smith 
James H. Small 
Benjamin F. Small 
Samuel C. Small 
Ebenezer A. Shed 
Zenas Snow- 
Henry A. F. F. Smith 
J. D. P. Small 
Samuel T. Soper 
Richard R. Small 
Robert Soper 
Joseph Swasey 
Gamaliel Smith 
B. H. Small 
Thomas D. Smith 
Phillip R. Smith 
William H. Sprague 
Jesse E. Smith 
Samuel G. Smith 



Josiah F. Small 
Joshua P. Small 
Taylor Small 
John T. Small 
George Thatcher 
William R. Taylor 
Michael Turben 
Benjamin Turner 
Andrew T. Williams 
Richard S. White 
Eliphat Whilding 
Nicholas White 
Edward Q. Weeks 
Enos N. Young 
Newcomb C. Young 
Elisha T. Young 
John W. Young 
Charles A. Young 
Eleazer Young 



Ladies' Department 



Hannah W. Atkins 
Sarah E. Atkins 
Clarissa A. Atwood 
Sarah Maria Adams 
Ruhamah H. Atkins 
Olive Atkins 
Nancy Avery 
Mary N. Adams 
Betsey K. Bowley 



Euphemia Brown 
Mary H. Baker 
Maria O. Crocker 
Naomi B. Cook 
Phoebe W. Cook 
Mercy F. Crosby 
Martha W. Cook 
Rebecca Cook 
Mary A. Cayton 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 



227 



Ann Gross Cook 
Martha A. Collins 
Phoebe N. Cook 
Elizabeth Cook 
Rebecca Cook 
Phoebe A. Cook 
Sarah L. Cook 
Sarah M. Dyer 
Eunice B. Dyer 
Parmelia Ann Dyer 
Malintha Dyer 
S. Maria Dyer 
Betsey E. Dyer 
Thankful Dyer 
Susan R. Eldridge 
Eliza A. Freeman 
Cynthia Freeman 
Phoebe Freeman 
Abigail Freeman 
Eunice Gross 
Savina Galagher 
Sarah H. Ghen 
Martha A. Holmes 
Malvina C. Higgins 
Rebecca A. Higgins 
Abigail H. Howes 
Caroline Howard 
Bethia Higgins 
Aseneth Howe 
Almira G. Hudson 
Mary B. Hilliard 



Adeline C. Hilliard 
Paulina B. Hilliard 
Deborah Harvender 
Matilda A. Harvender 
Hannah Hill 
Mary C. Johnson 
Martha A. Johnson 
Susan M. Kelley 
Adeline E. Lovejoy 
Sabra C. Lewis 
Aphia C. Nickerson 
Rebecca F. Nickerson 
Lucy M. Nickerson 
Ellen Nickerson 
Melvina F. Nickerson 
Louisa A. Nickerson 
Sarah Newcomb 
Miranda J. Nickerson 
Sarah G. Peterson 
Belinda N. Pettingill 
Fanny Roxanna Paine 
Martha A. Pettis 
Rebecca Pierce 
Sarah Parks 
Rebecca R. Ridley 
Hannah W. Rich 
Mary Rich 
Betsey N. Ryder 
Rebecca Ryder 
Ruth C. Ryder 
Mary A. Ryder 



228 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 



Hannah N. Small 
Mary S. N. Small 
Ann S. Small 
Emily J. Shed 
Harriet N. Small 
Esther T. Small 
Sarah Small 
Salome C. Soper 
Elizabeth T. Small 
Mary Joan Smith 
Jane C. Small 
M. E. Smith 



Lucinda H. Smith 
Delia Ann Smith 
Augusta Small 
Betsey C. Small 
Abigail Small 
Hannah Thatcher 
Harriet B. Thomas 
Electa A. Whitney 
Henrietta L. Whitney 
Harriet N. White 
Abigail F. Weeks 
Harriet M. Young 
Dorinda Young 



List of Provincetown 
Whalers 



From History of American Whale Fishing, by 
Alexander Starbuck 



Agents 



Name 


Captains 




1820 


Laurel 


Cook 


Margaret 


Atwood 


Minerva 


Soper 


Nero 


Smalley 


Neptune 


Cook 


Sophronia 


Smith, Ryder 




1821 


Cora 




Charles 


Grozier 


President 


Soper 


Unitaro 




Vesta 


Holmes 




1822 


Four Brothers 




General Jackson 


Atkins 


Hannah and Eliza 


Cook 


Mary 


Cook 



230 THE 


PROVINCETOWN BOOK 


Name 


Captains Agents 


Olive Branch 


Cook 


Seventh Son 


Cook 




1823 


Ardent 


Soper 




1831 


Fair Play 






1834 


Imogene 


Smalley James Smalley 




Atkins 




1836 


Louisa 


Tilson, Cook, 




Young, Ryder 




1840 



Fairy 
Franklin 

Phoenix 

Belle Isle 



Ginn, Cook, Abraham Small 
Soper 

Soper, Robert Soper 

Nickerson, 

O. W. AUerton 



Gem 



Small 
Puffer 

1841 
Cook 
Smith 
Howard 
Turner 
Nye 
Fluker 
Nickerson 



Leonard Small 



Eben Cook 



Timothy P. Johnson 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 231 

Name Captains Agents 

John B, Dods Prior, Ghen E. S. Smith 

Winslow 
Spartan James Small Stephen Nickerson 

Cook 
Samuel and Thomas Soper, Swift Samuel Soper 

Nickerson 

Swift 
William Henry Ryder Godfrey Ryder 

Cook, Chase 



Amazon 
Carter Braxton 
Joshua Brown 
Pacific 

Louisa Handy 



1842 

Cook 

Sparks Joseph Atkins 

Small, Ghen Seth Nickerson 

Cook, Tilson Stephen Cook Jr., 

Perry D. Small 

Cook, Handy 

Ryder 



Edwin 

Esquimaux 

Medford 

Rienzin 



Stranger 



1844 

Cook 

Cook Parker Cook 

Cook, Dyer 

Ryder 

Cook, Snow 

Joseph, Caton 

Miliken, Goodspeed 



232 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 



Name 


Captains 


Agents 




1845 




Cadmus 


Soper 

Nickerson 


Samuel Soper 


Counsel 


Ghen 


Samuel Cook, 




Higgins 


Howe & Lord 


Carter Braxton 


Martin 


J. Adams 


Grand Island 


Cook 


S. Cook 


Jane Howes 


Bowley 

Nickerson 

Doyle 




John Adams 


Higgins 

Freeman 

Burch 

Doyle 

Ghen 


R. L. Thatcher 


Outesie 


Chapman 


C. U. Grozier 


Parker Cook 


Smith, Cook 




Tarquin 


Sparks 
1846 


H. Sparks 


Samuel Cook 


Cook 
Handy 

1849 


S. Cook 


Allstrum 


Ghenn 




Chanticleer 


Cook, Youn^ 
Dyer 


> 


E. R. Cook 


Cook 
Higgins 

Cornell 
Nickerson 





THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

Name Captains Agents 



233 



Robert Raikes 
Sam Cook 
Shylock 



Swift 
Atson, Smith 
Hersey 
Green 



Ephraim Cook 



1850 



A, Nickerson 


Sparks 
Cornell 


J. H. Hilliard 


C. Allstrum 


Snow 


J. Adams 


E. Nickerson 


Nickerson 
Ryder 
Soper 
Pettingill 


Enoch Nickerson 


Harriet Neal 


Bush, Rydei 


• R. L. Thatcher 


H. N. Williams 


Fisher 
Joseph 
Young 


Phillip Cook 


Jane Howes 


Young 


J. E. Bowley 


John Adams 


Freeman 


John Adams 


Lewis Bruce 


Young 


B. Allstrum 


Medford 


Dyer 


Ephraim Cook 


R. E. Cook 


Cook 

Nickerson 
Tilson 


John Dunlap 


Rienzi 


Iverson 


J. E. Bowley 


Shylock 


Hersey 


Nathaniel Holmes 


Union 


Smith 


Jonathan Nickerson 



234 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 



Name 



Captains 



Agents 



Vesta 


Rich 


Phillip Rich 


Virginia 


Morton 


Winsor Snow 


Walter Irving 


Nickerson 
Small, Paine 
Holmes 
Atkins, Law 


Atkins Nickerson 


Walter K. 


Tillson 
Heath 
Ghen 


Henry Cook 


Willis Putnam 


Foster 
1851 


E. S. Smith 


Alexander 


Young 


B. Allstrum, John- 




Cook 


son & Cook 




Nickerson 






Dunham 






Rich 






Carlo w 






Hopkins 




Antartic 


Howard 
Snow, Costa 
Young, Hill 
Bell, West 
Johnson 


J. E. Bowley 


Hanover 


Holmes 


T. Hilliard 


Preston 


Handy- 
Smith 


Samuel Cook 


Sea Shell 


Cook 


E. Cook 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 



235 



Name 
Eschol (Truro 



Alleghany 



Captains Agents 



F. Bunchina 
Germ (Truro) 

S. R. Soper 



Montezuma 



Mountain Spring 
Richard 
Seychelle 
Waldron Holmes 



Smith 

Nickerson 

Miller 



Richard Stevens 
Hannum & Co. 
Robert M. Miller 



Enoch Nickerson 
Daniel C. Cook 



1852 

Cook 

Young 

Nickerson 

Dyer 

Graham 

Fisher, Snow 

Francis B. 

Tuck 
Rich Richard Stevens 

Goodspeed 
Ryan 

Soper, Cook S. Soper 
Abbott 
Needham 
Eldridge 

1853 

Freeman T. Hilliard 

Chapman 

Curren, Nye 

Young J. E. Bowley 

Young 



Young 
Holmes 



Allstrum and 
Holmes 



236 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 



Name 


Captains Agents 


M. King 


Pettingill Thatcher, Cook & Co, 




1856 


Acorn 


Puffer Nickerson & Tuck 


J. H. Duvall 


Young J. E. & G. Bowley 


Olive Clark 


Tribble S. Soper 




Martyne 




Tucks, Sparks 




Dyer, Atkins 


V. Doane 


Cook, Dyer H. & S. Cook & Co. 




1857 


Emporium 


Cook D. C. Cook 




Curren 




Caton, Leach 




Dyer 




Chandler 




Young 




Downer 


E. Nickerson 


John Samuel Soper 




Pettingill 


Estella 


Chapman J. E. & G. Bowley 




Snow, Higgins 


Montezuma 


Chapman T. & S. Milliard 


N. J. Knights 


Sparks D. Conwell 




Dyer 




Foster 


Oriad 


Bannister E. S. Smith & Co. 


Panama 


Rich John Adams 




George Powe 


Thriver 


Leonard S. Small 




Small 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 



237 



Name 


Captains 


Agents 


V. H. Hill 


Freeman 

Cornell 

Small 

1858 


E. & G. Bowley 


Metropolis 


Graham 




Oneco 


Herrick 




Oread 


Farwell 
Young 

1860 


E. S. Smith & Co. 


Civilian 


Burch 




Mermaid 


Robert 
Soper, Jr. 


S. R. Soper 


Weather Gage 


S. C. Small 
1861 


H. & S. Cook & Co. 


Arizona 


Cook 

Goodspeed 
John Bell 
Higgins 
White 


Stephen Cook 


Courser 


Young 


H. & S. Cook & Co, 


E. H. Hatfield 


Cook, Small 


E. & E. K. Cook 




Rich, Keith 


&Co. 




Burch 






Freeman 






Kirkconnell 




E. Gerry 


Small 

Remington 

Dunham 


Taylor 



238 THE 


PROVINCETOWN BOOK 


Name 


Captains Agents 




Smith, Emery 




Fisher 


G. W. Lewis 


Holmes E. & E. K. Cook 




& Co. 


Quickstep 


Cook, E. & E. K. Cook 




Ryder & Co. 




Thompson 




Burch, Manley 




Chas. Marston 


William Martin 


Martin Heman Smith 



Abbie H. Brown 
C. L. Sparks 

Courser 
Ellen Rizpah 

Rising Sun 



1862 
Higgins 
Ewell 
Sparks 
Roberts 
Atwood 
Silas S. 

Young 
Smith 
Taylor 
Dunham 
Young 
Taylor 
Clark 
Freeman 
Stevenson 
Gonsaloes 
Sparks 



(Orleans) 
E. & E. K. Cook 

D. Conwell 

H. & S. Cook & Co. 
Stephen Cook & Co. 

E. S. Smith & Co. 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 



239 



Name 


Captains 


Agents 


Watchman 


Tillson, 

Stidd 

J. E. Cook 

1863 


Jesse Cook 


E. B. Conwell 


Kilborn 
Marshall 
Cannon 
Cook 


D. Conwell 


Sassacus 


Ryde- 

Freeman 

Leach 

Nickerson 
Nickerson 

1865 


E. & E. K. Cook 


Mary Curren 


Curren 
Farwell 
Fisher 

Nye, Taylor 
Nye, Taylor 


Freeman & Hilliard 


M. E. Simmons 


Cook 
Parsons 

1866 


E. & E. K. Cook 


A. L. Putnam 


Handy 


H. & S. Cook & Co, 


Alcyone 


Dyer, Smith 


E. & E. K. Cook & 




Hudson 


Co. 


A. Clifford 


Brown 

Baldwin 

Dyer 


H. & S. Cook & Co. 



240 THE 

Name 

Allegro 

Ada M. Dyer 

B. T. Crocker 
Cetacean 

C. H. Cook 

E. P. Howard 
G. W. Lewis 
J. Taylor 
John A. Lewis 
W. A. Grozier 

Winged Racer 
L. P. Simmons 

Albert Clarence 



PROVINCETOWN BOOK 



Captains 

Ryder 
Isaac Dyer 
Chandler 
Nathaniel 
Atwood 
Atkins 
Cook 
Gelett 
Crowell 
Hudson 

Carlo w 
Atkins 
Smith 



Agents 

James Rich 
Alfred Cook 
John Atwood & Co. 
A. T. Williams 



Stephen Cook 



E. & E. K. Cook & 

Co. 
C. H. Rich 

John Atwood 

Jr. & Co. 
B. A. Lewis & Co. 



E. S. Smith & Co. 



Lewis Chap 

man 
Moses 
Young 
Roberts 
John Dunham 
Xenophon David Conwell 

Rich 
Graham 
Cornell 
Atkins 



1867 
Small 



J. Freeman 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 



241 



Name 
Alice B. Dyer 

Carrie Jones 
D. C. Smith 
Emma F. Lewis 

Etta G. Fogg 

Express 



Captains 



J. M. Collins 

Joseph Lindsey 
Mary D. Leach 



Agents 
David Conwell 



James S. 

Dyer 
Tripp 
Connell 
Kenny 
George W. 

Powe 
Thompson E. & E. K. Cook & 
Co. 
E. & E. K. Cook & 
Co. 



J. & G. Bowley 

John Atwood 

B. A. Lewis & Co. 



Cook 

Atkins 

Merithew 
Gage Phillips Taylor S. Coko 

Cook 

Nickerson 

Dyer 

Marston 

Ira B. Atkins David A. Small 

Ryder 

Ryder James Rich 

W. A. Leach Union Wharf Co. 

Atwood 
O. M. Remington William Union Wharf Co. 

Remington 
S. A. Paine Curren Freeman & Hilliard 

Willie Irving White C. H. Cook 

1868 

Allie B. Dyer Orlando J. 

Tripp 



242 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 



Name 


Captains 


Agents 


B. F. Sparks 


Cook 

Goodspeed 
Bell, Ewell 


Stephen Cook 


Carrie W. Clark 


William 

Clark, Jr. 
Dyer 

Marshall 


Atkins Nickerson 


Charles A. Higgins 


5 N. Y. Hig- 
gins 


Union Wharf Co. 


D. A. Small 


Josias Ryder 
Curren 
Winslow 
Rose 


David A. Small 


G. W. Lewis 


Stidd 


Joshua Lewis 


Grace Lothrop 


John S. 
Smith 


Union Wharf Co. 


Lizzie J. Biglow 


Josias Cook 


B. A. Lewis 


L. P. Simmons 


Dunham 
1868 


J. & G. Bowley 


Mary E. Nason 


H. Sparks 


David Conwell 


N. F. Putnam 


Dyer 
1869 


H. & S. Cook 


Agate 


Benjamin 
Atkins 
Rich, Days 

Winslow 


William A. Atkin 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

Name Captains Agents 

1870 

Grade M. Parker Isaac Dyer Alfred Cook 
Chas. Mars- 
ton 

1872 

Ewell 



243 



Alyceone 
John Atwood 



E. & E. K. Cook & 

Co. 
E. E. Small 



Mello 

Stevenson 

Fisher 

1875 

Edward Lee Aseph At- Aseph Atkin 

kins 
Lottie E. Cook Benjamin W. A. Atkins 

Sparks 
Isaac Dyer 
Charles Thompson Leach S. S. Swift 

Amasa Dyer 

1880 



Crown Point 

Bloomer 

Baltic 



Fisher 

1881 
Smith, Rose 

1885 

Fisher, Dyer 

Marston 

Gonsaleos 



244 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 



Name 


Captains 




1888 


Carrie D. Knowles 


; Charles 




Marston 




Stevenson 




Stevenson 




Nichols 




1889 


Joseph A. Manta 


Fratus 




Manley 



Rose 



Agents 



1893 



Ellen A. Swift 


Emmons Dyer 




Gibbons 




Mandley 




Dunham 




1905 


John R. Manta 


Smith 




Mandley 




Garcia 




Garcia 




Luis, Santos 



List of Dates 



1000 A. D. Visit of the Norsemen. 

1529 Map of the New World, with Cape Cod distinctly 
outlined. 

1602 Visit of Bartholomew Gosnold, who gave the 
name Cape Cod. 

1605 Visit of Champlain. 

1614 Visit of Captain John Smith, who said that of 
all the places he had ever visited, not in- 
habited, he would rather live here. 

1620 November 11 O. S. Arrival of the Mayflower 
and the Signing of the Compact. 

1620 December. Birth of Peregrine White, drown- 

ing of Dorothy Bradford, death of Jasper 
More, James Chilton and Edward Thomp- 
son. 

1621 Arrival of the Fortune. Indian runners carried 

the news to Plymouth. 
1651 William Bradford added to the other lessees of 

the fisheries of Cape Cod. 
I66S^ These lands were voted to be within the Con- 

stablrick of Eastham. 
1670 The General Court passed the following. 

"Whereas the Providence of God hath made 

Cape Cod commodious to us for fishing 

with seines," therefore a duty of twelve 



246 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

shillings per barrel was imposed upon mack- 
erel and bass. -^ ^^__^ 

1670 Laws prevented the taking of fish at times 

previous to spawning. 

1671 "Prince and Bosworth petitioned the Right 

Honored Massachusetts and Deputies of 
the General Court of New Plimouth, now 
sitting, relating to the mackerel fishery." 

1671 Thomas Prince appointed Water Baliff, to have 
charge of the fisheries of Cape Cod. 

1673 The revenue of the fisheries on Cape Cod 
granted for the support of a free public 
school. 

1680 Cornet Robert Stetson of Scituate, and Nathan- 
iel Thomas of Marshfield hired the Cape 
fisheries for bass and mackerel. 

1684 The Cape fisheries were leased to Mr. William 

Clark for seven years at £30 per annum. 

1685 Barnstable County incorporated, one of the three 

first counties. 

1689 It was ordered that the magistrates of Barn- 

stable County dispose of and manage the 
fisheries. 

1690 The General Court voted to pay Major William 

Bradford the sum of £55 for the release of 
his title to lands bought at the Cape of the 
Indians. 
1690 Icabod Paddock went to Nantucket to instruct 
the whalemen there in his method of taking 
whales. 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 247 

1696 April 1st. Earliest recorded birth, Ephraim 
Doane. 

1714 Cape Cod a precinct of Truro. 

1717 The General Court granted £150 toward the 
expense of a meeting-house. 

1720 A road forty feet wide was laid out from East- 

^. ham to and through the Province Lands. 

— The King's Highway. 

1724 April 29th. The first entry in the treasurer's 
book. "Precinct of Cape Cod to John 
Traill Dr. Cash paid Mr. Samuel Spear 
for his salary 10s." Mr. Spear was a 
minister who preached here. 

1724 The oldest recorded death, Desire Cowing. 
Her grave is in the old cemetery, near the 
entrance. 

1727 We were incorporated as a township under the 
name of Provincetown. 

1731 The records of the town began to be regularly 
kept. 

1737 Provincetown fitted out twelve ships for whaling 
in Davis Straits. This took all the men 
in town but about a dozen. 

1739 From the Boston Postboy — "We have advice 
from Provincetown Cape Cod, lamenting 
the small number of whales taken in the 
harbor during the winter, not more than 
seven or eight. Seven or eight families, 
among whom are the principal inhabitants, 
design to move to Casco Bay in the spring." 

1774 Rev. Samuel Parker installed. 



248 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

1776 The town was called upon to furnish goods for 
the Continental Army. A ship of the 
enemy, laden with army supplies came 
ashore on the Backside. This event was 
called "A Providence of God." 

1778 The wreck of the Somerset. Her guns were 
used for fortifications. 

Note. Not many people in Provincetown are members 
of Revolutionary Societies. During the 
Revolutionary War, five hundred English 
ships were captured by Yankee privateers, 
it is easy to see why few Provincetown 
names appear on the records. 

1789 The General Court granted a bounty of five 
cents a quintal on dried fish or on a barrel 
of pickled fish, exported. 

1792 Congress gave a bounty of a dollar a ton, or a 

little more, depending on the size, to vessels 
going cod-fishing four months in a year, 
three-eighths to the owners and five-eighths 
to the crew. 

1793 The White Oak meeting-house built. 

1795 The first Methodist meeting-house built. 

1796 King Hiram's Lodge, A. F. and A. M. instituted 

with a charter signed by Paul Revere. 
The Mason House built. 

1797 Highland Light built. 

1797 About the time of the death of Jesse Holbrook 
of Wellfleet, the famous whaler who killed 
on one voyage fifty-seven sperm whales. 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 249 

A London Company employed him for 
twelve years to teach their men his art. 

1801 Town schools closed on account of an epidemic 

of small-pox. 

1802 Feb. 22. A great storm in which three East 

India ships belonging to the Crowning- 
shields of Salem, were wrecked on the Back- 
side. 

1811 Death of Rev. Samuel Parker. 

1816 Light house at Race Point built. 

1822 Birth of Prince Freeman, said to be the first 
child born on the Point. 

1826 Lighthouse built on the Point. 

1828 Six district schoolhouses built. 

1829 The Christian Union Society (Universalist) 

built a meeting-house. 

1829 A fire and marine insurance company was or- 

ganized. 

1830 The first wharf was built. 

1835 The county road was laid out through town. 

1836 The first fire engine was bought. 
1838 The sidewalk was built. 

1838 2,686 barrels of mackerel were inspected. 
1840 A thousand men were engaged in cod and 
m^ackerel catching. 

1842 The Steamer Express, the first steam packet to 

Boston. 

1843 The Pilgrim Church was built. 

1844 The three new schoolhouses built. 

1845 Nov. 21. Marine Lodge, I. O. O. F., was in- 

stituted. 



250 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

1845 The jail was built. 

1847 Universalist Church was built. 

1848 The second Methodist church bought the Uni- 

versalist Meeting-house and named it 

Wesley Chapel. 
1851 Seamen's Savings Bank was instituted. 
1854 Provincetown National Bank was organized. 
1854 Town Hall and High School building was 

erected. 
1854 Commonwealth again recorded its ownership of 

the Province Lands. 
1854 A bridge over East Harbor was built. 
1860 Center Methodist church was built. 
1863 The Sons of Temperance at their last meeting 

give 3300 as a nucleus of a public library. 
1866 Centenary Methodist church was built. 

1869 A dyke was built across East Harbor. 

1870 The present Town Home was built. 

1872 Wood End Light was built. 

1873 Railroad was opened for traffic. 

1873 Bradford street was widened and extended. 

1874 The Life Saving Service was established. 
1874 The Catholic church was built. 

1874 46,173 barrels of mackerel were packed. 

1874 The Public Library was opened. 

1877 The Town House and High School building was 

burned. 
1880 The new High and Grammar School building 

was built. 
1882 Seamen's Relief Association was organized. 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 251 

1885 The capital invested in fishing business, 3964,573. 

1889 The new Town Hall was dedicated. 

1898 The Portland gale. 

1907 Cornerstone of the Monument was laid. 

1908 Centenary church was burned. 

1909 New Centenary chapel was dedicated. 

1910 The Monument was dedicated. 
1920 The Tercentenary Celebration. 



List of Books 



Governor Bradford's History of Plymouth Plantations, 
for sale at the State House, Boston, Price 31-00 
Mourt's Relations — 

at the Advocate Shop, price $.2S 
Freeman's History of Cape Cod. 1858 

The chapter on Provincetown was written largely 
by Mr. Elisha Dyer, for twenty-seven years 
town clerk. 
For reference at the Public Library. 
History of Barnstable County,\Deyo, 

The chapter on Provincetown was written by the 

late Judge James Hughes Hopkins. 
For reference at the Public Library. 
Shebnah Rich's History of Truro — , 

Full of anecdotes, tradition, genealogy. 
For reference at the Public Library. 
Cape Cod, by Henry D. Thoreau. 
Old Cape Cod — The Land, the Men, the Sea, 
by Mary Rogers Bangs. 
"\/Maritime History of Massachusetts — 
by Samuel Eliot Morison. 
The Pilgrims and Their Monument — 

by Edmund J. Carpenter. Containing the address 
of Charles W. Eliot, delivered at the Dedication 
of the Monument. 



^'THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 253 

Foptl^Path Ways— 
^ by Bradford Torrey, containing a delightful essay 
on Long Nook. 

Heroes of the Storm — The Life-Savers of Cape Cod, 
by J. W. Dalton. 

The Seabeach at Ebb Tide 

by Augusta Foote Arnold. 
Life on the Sea Shore 

by J. H, Emerton. 
Seaside Studies in Natural History 

by Mrs. Agassiz. 
Sea Shore Life 

by Alfred G. Mayer. 
Sea Shells of Land and Water 

by Frank Collins Baker. 
Sea Mosses 

by A. B. Hervey. 
The Whalebone Whales of New England 

by Glover Allen, secretary and librarian of Boston 

Society of Natural History. 
A History of the American Whale Fishery 

by Walter S. Tower. 
American Merchant Ships and Sailors 

by Willis J. Abbott, 
tlistory of the New England Fisheries 

by Raymond McFarland. 
Evolution of the American Fishing Schooner 

by J. W. Collins, — an article in the American 

Magazine, May, 1898. 



254 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

Library of Cape Cod History and Genealogy — 
A Series of small pamphlets. 
Published by C. W. Swift, Yarmouthport. 

No. 56 Richard Rich of Dover Neck and 

His Descendants 
No. 63 Stephen Hopkins 
No. 76 Paine of Payne 
No. 78 200th Anniversary Address of the 

Town of Chatham 
No. 65 Rider 

No. 91 Children of William Nickerson 
No. 94 ''Hoppy" Mayo, Hero of Eastham 
No. 98 Ryder 
No. 99 Atkins 
No. 101 Eldred, Eldridge 
No. 102 William Nickerson 
Stories by Josep h^ C.JLi ncoln, especially "Capt'n Eri" 

and "Mr7 Pratt." 
Stories for Girls — 

The Little Maid of Provincetown, by Alice Turner 

Curtis. 
Georgiana of the Rainbows, by Annie Fellows 

Johnston. — • — 

Mary Giista, by Joseph C. Lincoln. 
The Mayflower Descendant — 

A Quarterly Magazine of Ancient Records, by 
Mr. George E. Bowman. 



"A 











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Seeing Provincetown 

IF YOU have only an hour, a ride through the town 
is the best you can do. Take the barge, and the 
barge is not a boat, but a bus. For a small fare 
the auto-busses whirl you up-along and down-a-long. 
Do not fear a collision in the narrow streets. The 
drivers are good navigators. Some of us like better 
the old "accommodation," which, with a dozen passen- 
gers, drove leisurely along, stopping at the postoffice, or 
at the bakeshop or at any corner, and stopping long 
enough for a passenger to do a little errand and for the 
other passengers to enjoy the scenery. On Sunday 
morning the accommodation took people to church 
without charge. 

If you have a day to stay, walk the length of the 
sidewalk, three miles or more on the crowded street 
hugging the harbor. This is the street strangers refer 



256 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

to when they say there is but one street in Province- 
town. Climb to the top of the Pilgrim Monument. 
Visit the Art Museum. 

If you have a week to give, take a daily dip in the 
sea. The tide comes slowly up the sunny flats till 
it reaches the high-water mark delightfully warm and 
perfectly safe. Exhilarated by your dip, go for a sail, 
not in a prosaic motor-boat, but in a sail-boat, with an 
old skipper. With his hand on the tiller, you are 
happy. The wind is sure to be southwest in the 
afternoon and a good breeze. Drive to the Highland 
Light, seven miles along the state highway. The Light 
and the clay pounds are worth seeing, and the story 
of the Lighthouse- keeper is worth hearing. 

Go out into the harbor in the early morning with 
the trap-crew to draw the traps. You will see the 
stars fade, then a copper sun above a copper sea, then 
a golden sun walking a golden path from the horizon 
to you. At length you are in a world of blue and silver. 

The crew pulls the nets to the surface, and with 
help of a tackle, dips the fish into the boat, twenty 
barrels, a hundred barrels, three hundred barrels of 
whiting and mackerel. There is also a goosefish or 
two which they pitch back into the water, and maybe 
a few dogfish. The gulls are fishing too, and calling, 
"Funiculi, funicula." 

By nine o'clock you are back at the wharf, with 
fish for the freezer, unless the crew sells to a Boston 
fish-boat, waiting in the harbor to buy. The freezer- 
crew takes the boat-load, and before noon, fish that 
were swimming the night before are packed and frozen. 



THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 257 

They can now be kept indefinitely, and, shipped in 
refrigerator cars, are in the market as fresh and good 
as when they went into the freezer. 

Climb to the top of the Pilgrim Memorial Monu- 
ment, 252 feet from its base and near a hundred more 
from sea level. The ascent by a series of inclined 
planes is easy, and the effort is well repaid by the view 
of the majestic harbor below, the glittering spiral of 
sand surrounding it, and the bay broadening into the 
ocean. Fix the points of the compass and place Boston 
to the northwest. Follow the line of land to Duxbury 
and the Standish Monument, to Barnstable, to Truro, 
to the Jumping-off Place. 

Go to Long Nook, one of a series of delightful 
valleys running across the Cape from bay to ocean. 
The nearest is Long Nook which a man who loves it 
calls, "A Vale of Gentle Seclusion." 

Go by the state road across the green hills, past 
the dunes planted with beach grass and pines, into the 
naked dunes, to the Race Point Coast Guard Station. 
There, nothing is between you and far-off Spain, except 
myriads of rolling billows like those breaking at your 
feet. Gather driftwood for a fire, cook your supper on 
the coals, watch the sun sink into the sea, and feel the 
darkness fall from the sky above and gather from the 
limitless horizon, till, refreshed and quiet, you turn 
again home. 

If you linger long, you may enter into the life of 
the men and women here whose roots run back three 
hundred years. They may tell you stories of storm 



258 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

and wreck, they may amuse you with funny stories, 
of which they know many. They may invite you into 
the unpretentious homes and show some of their treas- 
ures. Dealers are buying the old sea-chests, the luster, 
the scrimshawing, the daguerreotypes, though most of 
it is still untouched. 

By-and-by, the charm catches you, and, like the 
native sons and daughters, scattered over the globe, 
always homesick for Cape Cod, you will return year 
after year, and hope to lay your bones at last, among 
neighbors and friends, in the clean white sand. 




Things to See 

TABLET marking the first landing of the Pilgrims; 
at the West End. 
Tablet in memory of the Pilgrims who died here; 

in the Old Cemetery. 
Tablet commemorating the Landing of the Pilgrims, 

erected by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; 

near Town Hall. 
The Pilgrim Memorial Monument. 
Governor Prince's Doorstone at the entrance of the 

Monument. 
Bas-relief "Signing of the Compact;" in the Approach 

to the Monument. 
The Pilgrim Church, with old records, etc. 
Universalist Church, with "Christopher Wren" tower 

and old frescoing. 
Oldest house in town, built by Squire Rich; Pleasant 

Street. 
Collection of Historical Objects, made by the Research 

Club; in Town Hall. 
Cup presented the Rose Dorothea in the Fishermen's 

Race; in Town Hall. 
Paintings by Mr. Halsall; in Town Hall. 
Old Fire Engine, made expressly for the Town (with 



260 THE PROVINCETOWN BOOK 

very wide wheels) in 1836; in the basement of 

the Town Hall. 
Picture, "Launching the Life Boat;" in the Public 

Library. 
Lighthouse and fog bell at Long Point, (A good trip in 

a row boat). 
Lighthouse and Coast Guard Station at Wood End, (A 

pleasant walk over the Breakwater). 

Lighthouse, fog-horn and Coast Guard Station at Race 
Point, near the end of the State Road. (A three- 
mile walk, over a good road.) Coast Guard Drill 
every Thursday morning. 

Coast Guard Station at Peaked Hill Bars, "The 
Graveyard of Ships," near the end of Snail Road, 
(A long and hard walk). 

Highland Light, conveyance daily. 

The Refrigerating Plants. 

The Whaling Gear, blackfish head oil and ambergris 
at the office of Mr. David Stull, the "Ambergris 
King." 

Fishing Traps and Weirs. 

Burgess Ship Designing Establishment. 

Art Association Exhibition of Paintings. 

Cornhill, where the Pilgrims found the first corn, (in 
Truro). 

Pilgrim Spring, where the Pilgrims drank their first 
water (in Truro). 

The Gift Shops and the Dealers in Antiques have many 
interesting things. 



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